Two million patients in the UK have now been diagnosed with diabetes, and with an ageing population this number is only going to increase.

Though the NHS is working hard to provide better care for these patients, they admit that “there is a long way to go,” and a report published today by the Department of Health cites a number of challenges.  To achieve a higher quality of care for patients with long-term conditions, such as diabetes, one of the answers is telehealth – essentially remote patient monitoring.

By performing simple tasks at home, eg measuring their own blood sugar levels, blood pressure or heart rate, patients can take charge of their own care (which satisfies one of the aims of Lord Darzi’s NHS Next Stage Review).  The information generated is then automatically transmitted to clinicians, which reduces the need for patients to come into health centres or for nurses to pay home visits.  For those at high risk of contracting diabetes, such as obese individuals, early warning signs can be detected.

Telehealth is empowering, helps keep patients healthy longer, and yields a higher quality of care for all.  And the higher the uptake of telehealth solutions, the more patients will benefit and the more cost-effective it will be.  So the question is, is the NHS ready for this challenge?

By John Hoggard, Transformational Government Programme Executive