When treating diabetic foot ulcers, a recent French study published in “The Lancet Regional Health - Europe” showed that the Remote monitoring wounds by a specialized nurse cuts medical costs in half. In particular, in reducing the length of stays in the hospital and that without increasing the risk of amputation.
About the TELEPIED Study.
The TELEPIED study was conducted by DoctorDoctor Dured Dardari and his colleagues from the South Île-de-France hospital center (CHSF) in Corbeil-Essonnes with the support of CERIDT. The team tested a new monitoring method for diabetic patients suffering from foot ulcers, carried out by a expert nurse in the management of diabetic patients.
Methodology of the study:
In this study, 180 patients were recruited. Although all patients received standard home care, they were divided into two randomized groups. The first group followed traditional treatment, with regular hospital visits, while the second group was supported by remote monitoring IDEs. Each week, home IDEs took Pictures of ulcers and sent them to The expert nurse. She analyzed them, adapted the care protocol if necessary and asked The diabetologist's opinion only if necessary.
Results of the study:
The results, after one year of follow-up, show that the patients monitored by telemonitoring have passed fewer days in hospital (7.1 days vs 13.4 days) and had fewer consultations with the diabetologist. This approach allowed a significant reduction in medical costs, with an average annual expenditure of €3,471 for the remote monitoring group compared to €7,185 for the traditional group.
As far as clinical outcomes are concerned, there is no There was no significant difference in ulcer healing rates or amputation rates between the two groups. However, patients on telemonitoring saw faster improvements in their wounds.
The study concluded that telemonitoring is as effective as traditional outpatient visits. The integration of a specialized nurse seems to have been a determining factor in these positive results. This new method could be beneficial, especially in areas where access to medical care is limited.
Sources:
https://www.ticsante.com/Story?id=6876
https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanepe/article/PIIS2666-7762(23)00105-9/fulltext #
