Prof. Name

Date

Introduction

In this assessment of the capstone project, diabetes management in my mother’s case will be discussed, considering the use of technology, care coordination, and community resources. With the continuous breakthroughs in healthcare technologies, chronic diseases can be well managed using these technological tools. Likewise, care coordination is essential to providing holistic care to diabetic patients to ensure their blood glucose levels are consistently regulated. Additionally, diabetics can improve their health by leveraging community resources, which will be highlighted in the assessment.

Impact of Healthcare Technology on Diabetes 

Healthcare technology or digital health technology tools are playing a vast role in enhancing diabetes management and prevention. Mobile health (m-health) is one example of healthcare technology impacting diabetes positively by delivering health services to diabetics through mobile phones or wireless devices. This is possible by providing reminders through instant messaging, using applications tailored to diabetes management, and wearable technologies to monitor vital signs, blood glucose levels, and physical activity estimation. Healthcare providers are connected with patients through technologies, providing diabetes care and monitoring remotely. They can also provide diabetes education, self-management, and lifestyle modification intervention through telehealth, enhancing remote access to care and patient engagement (Shan et al., 2019).

 Advantages and Disadvantages of Remote Monitoring and Telehealth

Teleconsultation and remote monitoring enhance clinical efficacy and patient accountability by improving access to remote care. These technologies also overcome geographical barriers and provide access to care for patients in distant areas. This is important in my mother’s case as she is living far from the central city and needs to commute to access care in the hospital (Kelly et al., 2020). Other benefits of m-health (using apps and reminders) include better monitoring and management of diabetes through mobile apps made for diabetes, such as reminder apps to stay consistent in lifestyle modification and promote medication adherence (Shan et al., 2019). 

However, some studies present opposing views. The disadvantages of these technologies are the high costs associated with enabling the use of m-health and telehealth which pose social inequalities to patients who are financially weak and are unable to utilize them (Khilnani et al., 2020). The financial resources are required to obtain mobile phones and a strong internet connection. Moreover, connectivity issues may occur on either side of providers and patients, hindering the effective use of these technologies. These technologies create a gap in in-person consultation, and patients may become unsatisfied due to a lack of face-to-face interactions with healthcare providers (Sharma et al., 2022).

Current Professional Practice

In my professional practice of nursing care, healthcare providers have leveraged the use of these technologies and provided remote monitoring services and teleconsultations. The nurses delegated to endocrinology departments are mainly involved in providing telehealth sessions for diabetics who cannot commute to healthcare systems. These strategies have resulted in improved health outcomes such as better glycmeic control, prevention of cardiovascular problems, and diabetes-associated complications.  I have seen similar benefits and drawbacks of telehealth, m-health, and remote monitoring.

Patients and healthcare providers encounter several barriers, including poor affordability due to financial constraints, and cannot leverage the benefits of these technologies enabling home healthcare. They also encounter technological barriers, such as weak connections that hinder patient-provider engagement (Phillip et al., 2020). Lastly, the patients need more knowledge on utilizing these phone technologies. Remote monitoring and telehealth also incur considerable costs in the initial integration and maintenance of these technologies associated with obtaining smartphones, enabling high-width internet and educational training and programs to use these technologies and apps effectively (Walker et al., 2021).

Despite the negatives, my mother can utilize these technologies to manage her diabetes as she has been an active user of smartphones. However, she needs further education on using specific apps in the initial phase. This can be done by collaborating with nurse informaticists who can guide her on using new applications for diabetes management such as utilizing apps on lifestyle modifications or medication adherence. This will enable her to use these