Digital health technologies/interventions in smart ward development for elderly patients with diabetes: A perspective from China and beyond

Abstract

Diabetes is highly prevalent among the elderly worldwide, with the highest number of diabetes cases in China. Yet, the management of diabetes remains unsatisfactory. Recent advances in digital health technologies have facilitated the establishment of smart wards for diabetes patients. There is a lack of smart wards tailored specifically for older diabetes patients who encounter unique challenges in glycemic control and diabetes management, including an increased vulnerability to hypoglycemia, the presence of multiple chronic diseases, and cognitive decline. In this review, studies on digital health technologies for diabetes in China and beyond were summarized to elucidate how the adoption of digital health technologies, such as real-time continuous glucose monitoring, sensor-augmented pump technology, and their integration with 5^th generation networks, big data cloud storage, and hospital information systems, can address issues specifically related to elderly diabetes patients in hospital wards. Furthermore, the challenges and future directions for establishing and implementing smart wards for elderly diabetes patients are discussed, and these challenges may also be applicable to other countries worldwide, not just in China. Taken together, the smart wards may enhance clinical outcomes, address specific issues, and eventually improve patient-centered hospital care for elderly patients with diabetes.

Keywords: Diabetes; Elderly care; Digital health technology; Smart ward; Wearable devices; Continuous glucose monitoring; Sensor-augmented pump

Core Tip: Diabetes affects nearly a quarter of individuals aged 65 years and older worldwide, with China reporting the highest number of cases. The unique features of elderly diabetes patients underscore the need for improved management. Digital health technologies have facilitated the establishment of smart hospital wards for diabetes patients. However, there is limited research and review focusing on smart wards tailored for older diabetes patients. This review discusses the development of smart wards, addressing the issues specific to managing elderly diabetic patients, and suggests future research directions to enhance the care of elderly diabetes patients.