Recent research has demonstrated the powerful impact of a collaboration between clinical pharmacists and health coaches on diabetes management and cardiovascular disease risk reduction. Comprehensive medication management is achieved by addressing potential adverse effects and drug interactions, aiding in the medication-taking process, and intensifying therapy. The crucial role of collaborative action with physicians in enhancing patient outcomes is emphasized.
Innovative methods were employed in the study to ensure effective diabetes management. The participants were drawn from primary care clinics within the University of Illinois Hospital, targeting African American or Latinx individuals aged between 21 and 75 years. To facilitate communication, mobile health technologies such as telehealth and text messaging were used. Furthermore, pharmacists provided medication management services remotely through videoconferencing, enabled by health coaches using internet-connected computer tablets.
The outcome of the study was promising, with a significant reduction in HbA1c levels among the participants. The mHealth intervention delivered by the clinical pharmacist and health coach led to a decrease in HbA1c by 0.79 percentage points. This improvement was not only substantial but also sustainable, as the improvements were maintained for 24 months. This suggests that the mHealth-driven intervention is an effective method for better blood glucose management and can potentially reduce racial and ethnic disparities in diabetes management.
The research further illustrated how mobile health, including telehealth and text messaging, can enhance the roles of pharmacists and health coaches. Pharmacists’ use of videoconferencing in chronic disease management has been found to improve healthcare access. This method appears to be more effective than text messaging support alone, which has lacked improvement in HbA1c levels beyond a brief period.
The study concluded that the mHealth intervention delivered by a clinical pharmacist and health coach significantly improved HbA1c levels in African American and Latinx patients with Type 2 Diabetes over one year compared to regular diabetes care. These improvements were sustained at 24 months. As such, considering this mHealth-driven intervention as an effective strategy to improve blood glucose management in racial and ethnic minority patients with primary care access in urban environments could be beneficial.
The importance of a comprehensive and collaborative approach to managing diabetes is emphasized through this research. Mobile health technologies, such as telehealth and text messaging, have proven to be effective tools in facilitating communication and improving healthcare access. The significant and sustained improvements achieved in this study highlight the potential of mHealth-driven interventions in addressing racial and ethnic disparities in diabetes care.
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