The Diabetes Tele Management System (DTMS®), introduced in 1997, integrates telemedicine with conventional diabetes care to enhance follow-up and treatment outcomes. It plays a crucial role in diabetes care and complication management by improving access to care, enhancing self-management, and potentially reducing healthcare costs.

      Prior research has shown that telemedicine-assisted diabetes care leads to better adherence to treatment, fewer hospitalizations, and improved metabolic outcomes. However, its long-term impact on complication rates and overall diabetes management requires further investigation.

      This study aimed to assess whether telemedicine as an add-on to conventional care (TCC) reduces diabetes-related complications more effectively than conventional care (CC) alone in individuals with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

      A cross-sectional analytical study was conducted over six months from December 2023 to May 2024, involving 360 participants (180 in each group) with T2DM. The CC group received a minimum of three in-person visits annually, while the TCC group received the same, plus at least two telemedicine consultations per month. Both groups were provided with standard diabetes management. Judgment sampling was employed to allocate participants to either the CC or TCC group. The inclusion criteria for the study required participants to be cognitively sound T2DM >18 years of age with a duration of diabetes between 5 and 20 years. Primary outcomes included the incidence of complications and metabolic control measures, including HbA1c, lipid profile, and blood pressure.

      TCC group demonstrated a lower incidence of complications (37.7% vs. 57%, p<0.001), along with better metabolic control, including lower HbA1c (7.2% vs. 8.3%,p<0.001), LDL (65.9 mg/ dL vs. 80.35mg/dL, p=0.004). The TCC group also exhibited fewer complications such as neuropathy (12.6% vs. 33.5%, p<0.001).

      The findings suggest that adding telemedicine to conventional diabetes care significantly reduces complications and improves metabolic control in people with T2DM. We strongly suggest incorporating telemedicine consultations along with conventional physical visits in the diabetes clinical treatment guidelines