Advancing Telemedicine Using Smart Insulin Pens with Continuous Glucose Monitoring and Telecommunication Systems: A Case Series.

Background

Multiple daily injections (MDIs) have been a mainstay for insulin delivery by persons with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). "Smart" insulin pens (SIPs) offer several advantages over traditional insulin pens, such as a memory function, bolus calculator, and reminders for patients to take their insulin. SIPs can integrate with CGM, allowing for the collection of accurate insulin and glucose data, which can integrate into combined reports. Using these technologies along with telecommunication modalities provides an infrastructure to improve the way in which healthcare can be delivered to those with diabetes.

Methods

Four cases of uncontrolled T1DM managed by MDIs (and not insulin pumps) and deemed to have plateaued in their management were selected to retrospectively review to identify potential advantages of SIP/CGM along with telemedicine as a method of care delivery.

Results

This case series revealed potential benefits of this model of care delivery, such as the ability to identify dysglycemia patterns not discernible prior to the use of SIP/CGM, use combined reports as a visual education tool to provide targeted insulin and dietary education, and improve patient engagement in diabetes self-care behaviors.

Conclusions

We described the benefits of using SIPs and CGM technologies along with telecommunication solutions, as a novel concept for a comprehensive telemedicine system, to improve management of glycemic control and diabetes self-management capabilities.