Due to the spread of new coronavirus disease, COVID-19, social interactions between people have been significantly reduced. In healthcare, outpatient care is a high-risk frontline of infection transmission in both patients and healthcare professionals. The presence of routine digital communication, remote data management and the availability of glucose monitoring and insulin delivery devices have given diabetology a certain advantage in this situation. However, the potential of these modalities has not been fully utilized so far. We provide an overview of practical methods of distance patient management, which can be used in most diabetes outpatient clinics without any difficult adjustments or additional investments. This approach can be used in different patients according to their treatment strategies and individual abilities.
Keywords: COVID-19; diabetes; distant patient care; e-health; telemedicine.