TELEMEDICINE FOR THE HEALTH OF DIABETIC PATIENTS AND THE ECONOMY

Abstract

The following research review details the economic considerations of telemedicine care in the treatment and management of diabetes. The major topics in this review constitute an analysis of how telemedicine care may reduce total healthcare spending, a review of clinical data to evaluate telemedicine and virtual diabetes care, and a study of how consumer economic behaviors have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional elements such as provider and consumer preferences toward virtual visits, treatment adherence rates, and insurance coverage policies affecting the delivery of telemedicine is also highlighted. The findings of this thesis contend that telemedicine care for diabetic patients is highly effective, if not more so than in person visits, due to both its cost savings and record in improving health outcomes. A recommendation has been made that telemedicine reimbursement determinations should take a value based approach accounting for the cost savings and health benefits resulting through virtual care. Through research presented, it is noted that telemedicine used in diabetes care is not an additive treatment; therefore, in addition to the factors that are outlined, further investigation to determine the total relative value of virtual diabetes care is required moving forward with reimbursement calculations.