Effectiveness of Telemedicine in Managing Type 1 Diabetes in India

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and feasibility of telemedicine services for managing type 1 diabetes (T1D) in India, focusing on glycemic control and diabetes knowledge

The study involved individuals with T1D aged 25 years or younger. A multidisciplinary team (MDT) provided routine care at an outreach center, with doctor consultations conducted via Zoom. Changes in HbA1c levels and diabetes knowledge scores were analyzed after six months.

The results showed the following findings:

• A total of 69 participants with T1D were included. 
• At the six-month mark, the median HbA1c level significantly decreased from 8.47% to 8.0, and the mean diabetes knowledge score improved from 61.2 to 64.9.
• Families reported median savings of Rs 1500 and a time savings of 10 hours per visit.

The study thus, concluded that telemedicine proves to be effective in managing T1D in India, facilitating outreach care through MDT.

Source: Sharma L, Bhowmik E, Ali Z, Kumar A, Ansari AM, Gupta N, Sudhanshu S, Dabadghao P, Mishra SK, Bhatia V. Telemedicine in Pediatric Diabetes Care: The Way Forward? Indian Pediatr. 2025 Jan 15;62(1):27-30. doi: 10.1007/s13312-025-3353-y. PMID: 39754427.