Telemedicine in Diabetes Care

Mullur, Rashmi S. MD
Hsiao, Joseph S. MD
Mueller, Khristina MD

¹ VA Greater Los Angeles HealthCare System, Los Angeles, California; David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, California
² David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, California
³ Moorpark Family Medical Clinic, Moorpark, California; Ventura County Medical Center, Ventura, California

The Authors

RASHMI S. MULLUR, MD, is chief of Telehealth at the VA Greater Los Angeles (Calif.) HealthCare System, and an associate clinical professor in the Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles.

JOSEPH S. HSIAO, MD, is a fellow in the Division of Endocrinology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California.

KHRISTINA MUELLER, MD, is a primary care physician at Moorpark (Calif.) Family Medical Clinic, and an adjunct clinical instructor in the Department of Family Medicine at the Ventura County Medical Center, Ventura, Calif.

Address correspondence to Rashmi S. Mullur, MD, VA Greater Los Angeles HealthCare System, 11301 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90073 (email:[email protected]). Reprints are not available from the authors.

Author disclosure: No relevant financial relationships.

American Family Physician 105(3):p 281-288, March 2022.

Telemedicine can be useful for the management of diabetes mellitus. Remote monitoring of glucose levels improves A1C levels in people with poor glucose control. When multiple daily injections of insulin are required, continuous glucose monitoring improves glycemic control and increases patient satisfaction. Telemedicine diabetes prevention programs can be cost-effective. Teleretinal screening allows for the remote evaluation of retinal photos obtained at the primary care office to facilitate the timely completion of annual screening. Telemedicine for patients who have diabetes requires administrative and patient preparation before the visit. The physical examination should focus on the skin and extremities, especially the feet. Patients receiving telediabetes care require at least annual in-person visits for complete foot examinations, sensory screenings, and to address issues noted during previous telemedicine visits.