Teleconsultation on patients with type 2 diabetes in the Brazilian public health system: a randomised, pragmatic, open-label, phase 2, non-inferiority trial (TELECONSULTA diabetes trial).

Background: This study addresses the rising burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus, and explores the potential of teleconsultation, as an alternative for diabetes management. The primary objective was to test the hypothesis that teleconsultation is non-inferior to face-to-face consultation in terms of glycaemic control measured as glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) (non-inferiority margin for the upper confidence interval for the difference between groups of 0,5% in HbA1c) for type 2 diabetes mellitus patients referred from Primary Healthcare to Specialized Care within the SUS.

Methods: TELECONSULTA, is a randomized, pragmatic, phase 2, single-centre, open-label, non-inferiority trial conducted in Joinville, Brazil.

Analysis of the costs of teleconsultation for the treatment of diabetes mellitus in the SUS.

Objective: To present the results of a cost analysis of remote consultations (teleconsultations) compared to in-person consultations for patients with type 2 diabetes, in the Brazilian public healthcare system (SUS) in the city of Joinville, Santa Catarina (SC). In addition to the costs from the local manager's perspective, the article also presents estimates from the patient's perspective, based on the transportation costs associated with each type of consultation.

Method: Data were collected from 246 consultations, both remote and in-person, between 2021 and 2023, in the context of a randomized clinical trial on the impact of teleconsultation carried out in the city of Joinville, SC.

Impact of Teleconsultation on Patients With Type 2 Diabetes in the Brazilian Public Health System: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial (TELEconsulta Diabetes Trial).

Background: Although the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) offers universal health coverage, access to quality care is often limited by social inequality and location. Although telemedicine has been shown to be an important tool in the efforts to overcome this problem, because it can provide access to specialist care and break the geographical barriers to health care, there are no national studies demonstrating its use in public health.

Objective: This study aims to test the hypothesis that remote consultation can be as effective as standard face-to-face consultation for type 2 diabetes mellitus in the Brazilian public health system and to assess the associated costs related to teleconsultation in public health scenarios, for patients referred from Primary Health Care units of the SUS for specialist care.