Nurse Practitioner-Led Remote Patient Monitoring for Uninsured Population with Diabetes

Abstract

This report evaluates the implementation of a Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM) program for an uninsured population with diabetes in a free clinic. The program provided free glucose monitoring equipment and regular follow-up from nurse practitioners. Results showed that participants experienced improved glycemic control, particularly in the first three months, with an average reduction of 3.3 points in HbA1c levels. Despite challenges in participant engagement, such as communication barriers and low frequency of blood glucose checks, findings indicated potential benefits for supporting diabetes self-management in underserved populations. Further attention to work-flow protocols is needed to optimize delivery of RPM program resources.

Note:
Funding Information: This work was partially funded by the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital and Health System Foundation. Funds from the hospital were used to support the salaries for those faculty and staff and the supplies for remote patient monitoring.

Declaration of Interests: In compliance with standard ethical guidelines, the authors report no relationships with business or industry that may pose a conflict of interest.

Ethics Approval Statement: This project received ethical approval from the UAB institutional review board (IRB-131114005; PI: Talley, M.)

Keywords: Remote patient monitoring, diabetes self-management, medically uninsured, health equity