Effectiveness of a Telemedicine Program for Diabetic Patients in Prasat Subdistrict Health Promoting Hospital, Ban Dan District, Buri Ram Province

Abstract

Background: The provision of telemedicine services for the care of Type 2 diabetes patients is an alternative for patient care. In addition, Telemedicine services to care for patients with type 2 diabetes are limited. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of telemedicine in treating Type 2 diabetes patients who have achieved a stable fasting blood sugar (FBS) level and are referred to the Health Promoting Hospital for continued care.
Objectives: To compare the knowledge of self-care, self-care practices, and clinical treatment outcomes of Type 2 diabetes patients, as well as to assess patient satisfaction following telemedicine services.
Methods: A single-group pre- and post-test comparison was conducted with a sample size of 30 individuals. Data were collected from August to October 2024. The research tools included a questionnaire consisting of five sections: general information, diabetes knowledge assessment, diabetes self-care practice assessment, clinical treatment outcome recording, and satisfaction evaluation. The questionnaire was validated for content validity by experts, and the reliability of the diabetes knowledge scale was found to be 0.67. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, including the paired samples t-test.
Results: The average knowledge score before receiving Telemedicine services was 6.9±1.6, and after receiving the service, it was 7.2±2.0, showing an increase but no statistically significant difference (p=0.417). The average self-practice score before receiving the service was 25.5±2.1, and after receiving the service, it was 26.3±2.5, which also increased but showed no statistically significant difference (p=0.21). The average HbA1c level before receiving the service was 6.9±1.7, and after receiving the service, it was 7.1±1.0, which increased but was not statistically significant (p=0.36). In contrast, the average Serum Creatinine level before receiving the service was 0.9±0.3, and after receiving the service, it was 0.8±0.3, showing a statistically significant improvement (p=0.012). No acute complications requiring hospitalization were observed. Regarding satisfaction assessment, the service recipients reported a high level of satisfaction.
Conclusion: The diabetes treatment program through telemedicine can be effectively used for the safe management of diabetes patients with stable blood sugar levels. This program enhances access to healthcare services, reduces patient travel costs, and results in high patient satisfaction.