* Dedicated Patient Hotline, Medication Home Delivery Service, Virtual Consultations, and Outreach Program Among Measures Put in Place by HMC Diabetes Team during Covid-19 Pandemic

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic, in mid-March Hamad Medical Corporation’s (HMC) diabetes team extended the hours of operation and scope of services for its diabetes hotline. Since launching, demand for the service has continued to grow with over 9,000 calls received, and 95% of patients surveyed saying they would recommend the hotline.

Dr. Mahmoud Zirie, Senior Consultant and Head of the Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism Department at HMC says the dedicated hotline, a medication home delivery service, virtual consultations, and an outreach program launched in partnership with the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) and Primary Health Care Corporation (PHCC) targeting patients who have poorly controlled diabetes, were among the range of measures put in place so that patients would continue to have access to specialized diabetes care throughout the pandemic.

‘We know that people with diabetes are considered high-risk for severe Covid-19 illness. The data demonstrates that people with diabetes have much higher rates of serious complications from this virus, compared to people without diabetes, so we took several steps to ensure patients did not unnecessarily come to the hospital. We also moved the majority of our regular outpatient appointments to telemedicine appointments and we have implemented a number of new services, including a medication and medical equipment and supplies home delivery service,’ said Dr. Zirie.

‘While we don't want patients who are not acutely ill to come to the hospital, we also don’t want diabetics who require specialist care to go without that care, so we’ve continued to expand and adapt our services to ensure patients are getting the care they need,’ added Dr. Zirie.

Dr. Manal Othman, Director of Diabetes Education at HMC, says the diabetes hotline, which is managed by trained diabetes educators, provides advice in Arabic, English, and Urdu. She says most individuals who call the hotline require general advice and support but notes they also receive calls from patients who require non-emergency management of diabetes symptoms.

‘Broadly speaking, the calls we receive from patients and caregivers fall into two categories with the largest group requiring medication refills or store items, such as blood glucose meters and test strips, or asking general questions about diabetes and the Covid-19 virus. The second category includes patients who require diabetes management, such as medication adjustments or management of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia) or high blood sugar (hyperglycemia),’ said Dr. Othman.

‘Diabetes educators play a vital role in supporting people living with diabetes to manage their condition and achieve optimal health outcomes and our service has never been more important or more in demand. We are pleased to be offering the hotline service to the public; however, the public must understand that this service is for non-life-threatening conditions. If you are experiencing a true diabetic emergency, you must go to the emergency department or call 999,’ said Dr. Othman.

Earlier this month the diabetes care team at the National Diabetes Center surveyed hotline users to gather feedback on patients’ overall experience using the service. Ninety-five percent of patients surveyed said they would recommend the hotline and over 90% of respondents indicated they considered the hotline to be a trusted and reliable resource for diabetes information and advice.

The diabetes hotline can be accessed by calling 16099 (select option 4). This phone-based emergency service is available Sunday to Thursday from 7am to 7pm to provide individuals with all types of diabetes, as well as their relatives or caregivers, with medical advice related to diabetes and specifically diabetes care during the Covid-19 pandemic.


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