Telemedicine and e-Health: Telemedicine for the Underserved Racial and Ethnic Minorities During COVID-19 and Beyond
This study aimed to demonstrate a culturally and linguistically appropriate telehealth protocol can be implemented to improve the glycemic control of patients as an extension of regular clinical services and provide continuity of care. This telehealth platform was integrated with a remote patient monitoring system utilizing a Bluetooth-enabled glucometer for patients with diabetes compared to their abnormal baseline hemoglobin A1C (HgA1C). The Blood sugar values were recorded at predefined intervals to monitor controls for diabetes. The ethnic diversity and level of education of patients required addressing the digital divide, language interpretation, and navigation at each monitoring step. Telemedicine procedures utilized for patients with little or no prior knowledge of remote self-monitoring methods can support their treatment of chronic diseases, such as diabetes.