Traditionally, efforts to improve quality metrics in diabetes have emphasized reducing adverse events and preventing readmissions. A recent study published in Diabetes Technology & Therapeutics suggests using a cloud-based insulin management software in the emergency department can also improve quality and reduce costs considerably.
The year-long study examined the effect of using Glytec's Glucommander IV insulin treatment system on 35 patients seen in the ED with hyperglycemic crises and diagnosed with mild diabetic ketoacidosis.
Ultimately, the study found hospital admissions for mild DKA declined 45 percent after implementing the cloud-based system.
Co-author of the study Joseph Aloi, MD, chief of endocrinology and metabolism at Wake Forest School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C., estimates to the cost savings associated with the reduction in admissions was $78,000.
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