Assessing the Feasibility of Developing an Inpatient Telehealth Referral System for Veterans with Poorly Controlled Diabetes

Results Conclusions/Discussion Objective/Aim Design/Methods The Phoenix VA Healthcare System presently has various telehealth programs that are offered to veterans if they meet eligibility criteria that are underutilized when compared to other VA facilities throughout the country. Diabetes telehealth programs have shown success in lowering HbA1c values in engaged veterans with poorly controlled diabetes. We analyzed existing Cardiocom and EHR data to identify trends that resulted in improved outcomes. We developed an inpatient diabetes telehealth referral system to improve outcomes and utilization in veterans admitted to the hospital who met eligibility criteria. To assess the feasibility of implementing an inpatient telehealth referral system prior to scaling up, we retrospectively examined baseline HbA1c values for veterans who are currently enrolled in the diabetes telehealth program from the ambulatory setting at the Phoenix VA Healthcare System.