Effectiveness of Telemedicine in Managing Chronic Conditions Such As Diabetes and Hypertension: A Systematic Review (Preprint)

Abstract

Telemedicine, the practice of using telecommunication technology to provide remote medical care, has become a crucial tool in the healthcare sector. It allows patients to receive medical consultations and monitoring from the comfort of their homes, bridging the gap between care providers and patients. Telemedicine has proven particularly useful in treating chronic diseases, which are among the leading causes of death worldwide and require regular monitoring and effective management. According to Crossen, chronic conditions are increasingly prevalent due to factors such as poor lifestyle behaviors. These diseases often require continuous medical attention to prevent severe complications, making it challenging for patients to maintain good health without frequent visits to healthcare facilities. Patients with chronic conditions, such as heart disease, face a high risk of rapid disease progression, potentially leading to permanent damage or death. Before the pandemic, these patients often had to exert significant effort to stay close to their healthcare providers. As noted by Ma et al., the need for regular monitoring and management means that these patients spend a considerable amount of time in medical facilities.

This study assesses the effectiveness of telemedicine in managing chronic health conditions, particularly diabetes and hypertension, focusing on health outcomes, patient engagement, and cost-effectiveness.

The study follows the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) standards. I conducted a thorough search of databases such as PubMed and Google Scholar. Over 200 abstracts were screened for relevance and timeliness before we settled on 15 articles for the final review.

We found that telemedicine greatly improved clinical outcomes as well as risk factor control in diabetes (10 out of 15 articles) and hypertension (8 out of the 15 articles) patients. Telemedicine also significantly enhanced patient engagement and satisfaction (7 out of 15 articles), to the extent that patients reported greater satisfaction with telemedicine than the traditional forms of medical management. However, technological barriers and the need for tailored interventions pose challenges to patient engagement and satisfaction.

Telemedicine has been proven to significantly improve health outcomes and patient satisfaction when it comes to the management of chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. However, further research is needed to address the challenges associated with telemedicine.

n/a