Using telecommunication technology to manage children with diabetes: the Computer-Linked Outpatient Clinic (CLOC) Study.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of using a telecommunication system to assist in the outpatient management of pediatric patients with insulin-dependent diabetes. Metabolic control, patients' psychosocial status, family functioning, perceived quality of life, patterns of parental/child responsibility for daily diabetes maintenance, and nursing time-on-task were evaluated. One hundred six pediatric patients (mean age = 13.3 years) were randomly assigned to an experimental or control outpatient clinic for 1 year. Experimental subjects transmitted self-monitoring blood glucose data by modem to the hospital every 2 weeks. Transmitted data were reviewed by nurse practitioners who telephoned subjects to discuss regimen adjustments. Control subjects received standard care with regimen adjustments made by physicians. There were no significant between-group differences for metabolic control, rates of hospitalization or emergency-room visits, psychological status, general family functioning, quality of life, or parent-child responsibility. A significant decrease was noted in nursing time-on-task for experimental subjects.
Marrero
D G
DG
Vandagriff
J L
JL
Kronz
K
K
Fineberg
N S
NS
Golden
M P
MP
Gray
D
D
Orr
D P
DP
Wright
J C
JC
Johnson
N B
NB
D000293:Adolescent; D015190:Blood Glucose Self-Monitoring; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010044:Outpatient Clinics, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D013685:Telecommunications