A Computer-Based Glucose Management System Reduces the Incidence of Forgotten Glucose Measurements: A Retrospective Observational Study

• Published in: Diabetes Therapy Vol. 9; no. 3; pp. 1143 - 1147
• Main Authors: Okura, Tsuyoshi, Teramoto, Kei, Koshitani, Rie, Fujioka, Yohei, Endo, Yusuke, Ueki, Masaru, Kato, Masahiko, Taniguchi, Shin-ichi, Kondo, Hiroshi, Yamamoto, Kazuhiro
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cheshire Springer Science and Business Media LLC 01.06.2018; Springer Healthcare; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Blood sugar; Blood sugar monitoring; Cardiology; Computer informatics; Computer organization; Diabetes; Disease management; Electronic health records; Electronic records; Endocrinology; Glucose; Glucose monitoring; In-hospital care; Internal Medicine; Measurement; Medical records; Medical research; Medical technology; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Medicine, Experimental; Methods; Observational studies; Original Research; Patient monitoring; Risk management; Technology application; Japan; Glucose monitoring; In-hospital care; Risk management; Computer informatics
• ISSN: 1869-6953; 1869-6961
• DOI: 10.1007/s13300-018-0427-z

Introduction Frequent glucose measurements are needed for good blood glucose control in hospitals; however, this requirement means that measurements can be forgotten. We developed a novel glucose management system using an iPod ® and electronic health records. Methods A time schedule system for glucose measurement was developed using point-of-care testing, an iPod ® , and electronic health records. The system contains the glucose measurement schedule and an alarm sounds if a measurement is forgotten. The number of times measurements were forgotten was analyzed. Results Approximately 7000 glucose measurements were recorded per month. Before implementation of the system, the average number of times measurements were forgotten was 4.8 times per month. This significantly decreased to 2.6 times per month after the system started. We also analyzed the incidence of forgotten glucose measurements as a proportion of the total number of measurements for each period and found a significant difference between the two 9-month periods (43/64,049–24/65,870, P  = 0.014, chi-squared test). Conclusions This computer-based blood glucose monitoring system is useful for the management of glucose monitoring in hospitals. Funding Johnson & Johnson Japan.