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Remote Monitoring and Consultation of Inpatient Populations with Diabetes

  • Health Care Delivery Systems and Implementation in Diabetes (ME McDonnell and AR Sadhu, Section Editors)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

Inpatient hyperglycemia is common and is linked to increased morbidity and mortality. We review current and innovative ways diabetes specialists consult in the management of inpatient diabetes.

Recent Findings

With electronic medical records (EMRs), remote monitoring and intervention may improve the management of inpatient hyperglycemia. Automated reports allow monitoring of glucose levels and allow diabetes teams to intervene through formal or remote consultation.

Summary

Following a 2-year transition of our complex paper-based insulin order sets to be EMR based, we leveraged this change by developing new daily glycemic reports and a virtual glucose management service (vGMS). Based on a daily report identifying patients with two or more glucoses over 225 mg/dl and/or a glucose <70 mg/dl in the past 24 h, a vGMS note with management recommendations was placed in the chart. Following the introduction of the vGMS, the proportion of hyperglycemic patients decreased 39% from a baseline of 6.5 per 100 patient-days to 4.0 per 100 patient-days The hypoglycemia proportion decreased by 36%. Ninety-nine percent of surveyed medical and surgical residents said the vGMS was both important and helpful.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. Arti D. Shah

    Present address: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of California, San Francisco, 2200 Post St., Suite C-430, San Francisco, CA, 94115, USA

    Robert J. Rushakoff

  2. School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Joshua A. Rushakoff & Zachary Kornberg

  3. Departments of Pharmacy and Nursing, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Heidemarie Windham MacMaster

  4. Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Arti D. Shah

Authors
  1. Robert J. Rushakoff
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  2. Joshua A. Rushakoff
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  3. Zachary Kornberg
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  4. Heidemarie Windham MacMaster
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robert J. Rushakoff.

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Conflict of Interest

Robert J. Rushakoff, Joshua A. Rushakoff, Zachary Kornberg, Heidemarie Windham MacMaster, and Arti D. Shah declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

All reported studies/experiments with human or animal subjects performed by the authors have been previously published and complied with all applicable ethical standards (including the Helsinki Declaration and its amendments, institutional/national research committee standards, and international/national/institutional guidelines).

Additional information

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Health Care Delivery Systems and Implementation in Diabetes

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Rushakoff, R.J., Rushakoff, J.A., Kornberg, Z. et al. Remote Monitoring and Consultation of Inpatient Populations with Diabetes. Curr Diab Rep 17, 70 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-017-0896-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11892-017-0896-x

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