Spurred by the pandemic, health systems and medical facilities are among the most prominent organizations to drive digital transformation. In an effort to enhance patient safety, hospitals leveraged this paradigm shift to develop and deploy innovative solutions that monitor and reduce potential exposure, enable telehealth services and automate sanitization processes.
Researchers also worked around the clock to better understand how COVID-19 affected certain populations and the impact pre-existing conditions may have on the severity of the virus. General medical research doubled over the course of the pandemic and produced over 300,000 articles pertaining to COVID-19.
The adoption of digital solutions and surge in medical research is accelerating a shift in healthcare that employs automation and data to improve services. Research has shown hospitalized COVID-19 patients with a history of diabetes are at a higher risk of severe complications, and to-date, patients with pre-existing diabetes make up 40% of all COVID-19 deaths. This has illuminated the importance of glycemic management within the hospital, including safer management of insulin, and eliminating protocols that rely on sliding scale insulin only.
How hospitals can enhance diabetes care through technology
During a recent webinar hosted by Becker’s Hospital Review, Dr. Francisco Pasquel and I discussed how to optimize glycemic management with technology. Dr. Pasquel elaborated on the five key lessons Emory and Grady Health learned while utilizing technology to enhance patient care:
Further research is required to determine if people with diabetes that have recovered from COVID will have long-term effects from the virus. However, it is evident that these technological advancements and an industry-wide acceptance of innovative solutions provide patients with the peace of mind that providers have support systems in place to adequately manage their blood sugar levels.
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