RTNI | Diabetes Remote Telemonitoring Northern Ireland

The project

Patients with diabetes are referred by their diabetes specialist nurse, community nurses and GPs from diabetes clinics.

Patients are set-up on the telemonitoring service, and are promoted to self manage and monitor their condition.

Patients are provided with a user-friendly patient portal or ‘hub’ and a range of connected devices – a scale, a blood pressure monitor and a glucometer for SMBG.

The patient is invited to take measurements which are reviewed by a team of experienced nurses against the parameters set for that patient. Patients whose measurements are outside of parameters set by their healthcare professional, are reviewed, with escalation back to the care provider when the patient is in need of further clinical interventions.
Digitally supported patients are more engaged, more compliant with treatment, and have better outcomes.

The RTNI service provides evidence that remote telemonitoring of blood glucose can be an effective tool in enabling patients to effective self-manage diabetes and achieve long-term improvement in glycaemic control (HbA1c levels).
- Both male and female users showed significant improvement in glycaemic control with a fall in HbA1c of 0.9% and 2.4% respectively
- 95% of patients accepted the technology and used it effectively
- Better channels of communication between patients and healthcare professionals
- Improved self-management of their condition and greater understanding of their condition and how it affects them