Children's National Health System

TELEMEDICINE 15 A T Y P I C A L T E L E M E D I C I N E V I S I T + The patient undergoes a physical exam with a nurse practitioner at Peninsula Regional Hospital, then communicates with a diabetes specialist at Children's National Health System via videoconference. + The Children's National specialist reviews lab results obtained prior to the appointment, discusses them with the family, and adjusts medication dosages or self-care instructions. These recommendations are transmitted to the Peninsula facility, where they are printed for the patient. + A detailed letter also is mailed to the patient's family once the approximately 40-minute visit is complete. THE AMERICAN DIABETES Association recommends patients with type 1 diabetes undergo checkups at least every three months, which can prove challenging for patients some distance from Children's National. The Washington Nationals Diabetes Care Complex at Children's National's Sheikh Zayed Campus for Advanced Children's Medicine recently partnered with Peninsula Regional Hospital in Salisbury, Md., to offer routine follow- up care to those patients. "Diabetes lends itself perfectly for telemedicine services, as a large portion of each visit focuses on insulin dosing and blood sugar management, which can be visualized on a computer screen in two places simultaneously," says Fran R. Cogen, MD, CDE, Director of the Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes Program and the Washington Nationals Diabetes Care Complex at Children's National. "Patients who are geographically distant appreciate going to a closer facility where they can interact with a specialist remotely." A specially trained nurse practitioner at Peninsula Regional Hospital conducts a physical exam while the patient interacts via videoconference with a Children's National physician. Lab results are obtained prior to the appointment, allowing the physician to adjust care and prescriptions as needed. (See "A Typical Telemedicine Visit" for an in-depth appointment description.) "Many of our diabetes patients previously traveled to the Annapolis regional outpatient center," Dr. Cogen says. "The telemedicine program saves hours of commute time, and the medical care is infinitely more efficient." As more patients utilize this service, Children's National hopes to make each telemedicine experience exceptional by using the latest technology. "I believe as we gain more experience employing telemedicine, a greater number of patients separated by large distances from medical centers will be able to receive high-quality care remotely," Dr. Cogen says. BY RACHEL STEWART Utilizing Telemedicine to Streamline Diabetes Care To learn more about the Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes Program at Children's National, visit www.ChildrensNational.org/Diabetes. For children dealing with type 1 diabetes, the right care and support is paramount. Children's National Health System now uses telemedicine to improve geographic access to much needed diabetes services. A Welce ADDITION

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