The Community Diabetes Specialist Nurses (DSNs), Michelle Denyer, Beth Cooper, Joanne Hulme and Clare Reynolds, are at the forefront of this development, embracing technology to extend their reach and strengthen the patient /clinician relationships in the pursuit of improved patient outcomes and self-care with evidence continuing to emerge from patients that they are managing their diabetes better than before.
Michelle identified patients demonstrating poor testing compliance to use Flo to offer timely prompts to test their glucose level regularly as well as giving patients a quick and convenient way of sharing their readings with Michelle and preventing the development and exacerbation of long-term complications. “Patients that test their levels regularly can judge how well they are reaching their overall treatment goals and get a greater understanding of how diet and exercise affect their blood sugar levels. I find these gentle reminders are very effective because when I talk to patients they tell me how well they are doing.” Some patients also become very anxious about medication, particularly if they are newly diagnosed and concerned about establishing new routines and behaviours, Flo is ideally placed to support these patients. “I have seen some very positive results for patients; helping them to remember their medication which in turn has improved their diabetes control.”
Flo also reduced patient appointments, notably in follow-up for newly diagnosed patients. Flo allows for earlier clinical intervention and guidance without the need for an appointment. Patients become more relaxed, learning to control their condition without feeling like the condition is controlling them.
A Patient’s Experience: A North Derbyshire patient was having on-going difficulty controlling her Type 2 Diabetes, resulting in frequent clinic appointments to try and bring her condition under control. Following initial advice and guidance and her condition still being out of control, the clinical team were forced to consider medication intervention. The patient was also referred to the Community Diabetes Team where she met with one of the DSNs and agreed to use Flo. After a short period the DSN was really encouraged by the readings the patient was sending to Flo. Over the coming months the patient’s progress continued, monitoring her own blood glucose and finding that with small changes to her lifestyle she was taking control of her diabetes “Even though I know it’s only a computer, I feel very supported by my texts from Flo” The patient returned to her Doctor to review of her condition who saw significant progress had been made and decided to postpone medication indefinitely. The patient is happy to have avoided the need to take medication for what could have been a prolonged period avoiding an annual cost of just under £1,000 per year for the type of treatment that was considered.
“Individual target ranges can be set for patients glucose levels and the DSNs are alerted automatically by Flo if a patient’s glucose levels are out of range; this has helped to reassure patients as they are sign-pointed back to the community diabetes team or their GP practice should they feel they need more support or feel particularly unwell, and because of the early intervention the number of follow-up appointments has been reduced.”
The DCHS Community Diabetes Team feel that Flo has the potential to be used in other local health community settings to deliver real improvements to the lives of patients and enhance the delivery of care as a whole.
For more information please see www.simple.uk.net or contact Joan Pons-Laplana Telehealth Flo Clinical Lead NHS Arden & GEM CSU [email protected] or Lisa Taylor Senior Specialist Simple Telehealth [email protected]