Diabetes and Remote Patient Monitoring: A Better Way Forward

The diabetes epidemic currently affects tens of millions of Americans and is one of the most prolific diseases of the 21st century. Modern advancements have had incredible effects on the quality of life of people living with diabetes. There is still much we need to educate ourselves on about the onset and management of diabetes.

Early Onset Warning Signs

Before we go further, it’s important that we know and recognize the early onset signs of diabetes. These can include but are not limited to:

• Increased thirst
• Blurred vision
• Frequent urination
• Increased appetite
• Numbness or tingling sensation in the feet
• Fatigue
• Unexplained weight gain or loss

The Problem With Diabetes Management

Much of the cost associated with managing diabetes is recurring—and unfortunately, many of those costs are not covered by insurance. This burden can prevent patients from accessing the tools and data they need to manage their illness effectively. What’s more, many remote patient monitoring (RPM) services on the market do not help reduce this burden.

This means that while the technology exists to solve some of the biggest challenges related to diabetes, access remains limited for many patients.

Service Solutions at Tellihealth

In contrast, Tellihealth’s services provide unlimited, no-cost diabetic consumables for as long as the patient remains enrolled. Not only is accuRPM designed from the perspective of social responsibility, but it is also built to make a positive impact on the healthcare system.

By offering no-cost devices and supplies to diabetic patients, accuRPM increases reading frequency and empowers doctors with more visibility into their patients’ health. This enables comprehensive, preventative care that helps lower emergency risk and reduce insurance premiums across the board.

Patients using Tellihealth’s services are less likely to face unforeseen complications because they are equipped with affordable, easy-to-use solutions at home. By removing barriers to daily readings, accuRPM helps clinicians and patients stay continuously informed, leading to faster response times and better outcomes.

The Power of RPM in Diabetes Care

“Connected remote patient monitoring devices for diabetes, like insulin pumps, glucose monitors, blood pressure monitors, scales, activity trackers, and others can provide regular data to physicians to help them more effectively evaluate patient conditions and react quickly to any abnormalities,” according to [2].

Remote patient monitoring has changed how we manage diabetes. With improved data collection, instant health alerts, and at-a-distance oversight, diabetic patients are now better equipped to control their day-to-day health.

Real-time glucose readings help prevent complications before they become emergencies—saving both lives and money.

Study: Telemonitoring in Diabetes

A study titled “Supported Telemonitoring and Glycemic Control in People with Type 2 Diabetes” followed 321 patients split into two groups: one used a telemonitoring/RPM program, and the other followed traditional home-monitoring protocols.

Patients in the telemonitoring/RPM group sent readings to clinicians in real-time via Bluetooth and SMS, and received feedback through an educational app. These patients showed significant reductions in blood pressure and better glycemic control compared to those in the traditional care group.

This study, among others, illustrates how RPM can improve outcomes in diabetes care.

CGMs vs. Finger Stick Devices

While all monitoring devices can support RPM, their effectiveness varies depending on the patient’s condition.

Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) is ideal for Type 1 diabetes, offering real-time alerts and ease of use—especially helpful for pediatric care and caregivers.

However, Type 2 diabetes—which accounts for 90–95% of all cases—requires more frequent readings. CGMs require periodic calibration using finger stick devices, which makes them less practical for Type 2 patients.

In these cases, modern finger stick devices provide the best results.

accuRPM for Diabetes: Real-Time, No Cost, No Hassle

accuRPM includes a 4G LTE-connected glucometer that transmits readings in real time to the care team. Patients no longer need to write down readings or track progress manually. Unlimited, no-cost consumables are provided for the entire duration of the program.

This means while finger sticks are still needed, all other burdens are removed.

To learn more about how accuRPM and Tellihealth are revolutionizing diabetes care with remote patient monitoring, contact us today.