During a press conference on Tuesday, Health Minister Chris Fearne launched the remote patient monitoring pilot project which will benefit children under 16 years of age who suffer from type 1 diabetes.

The Covid-19 pandemic made the concept of telemedicine even more apparent. Not only does telemedicine reduce the contact of patient and doctor, it also increases the efficiency in the health sector in general, Fearne said.

The remote patient monitoring system will for now take care of patients who suffer from type 1 diabetes and are younger than 16. Fearne confirmed that this project will eventually be expanded to include people who suffer from heart and lung illnesses.

Through this project, patients will be given a sugar glucose monitor and transmitter. This means that patients who have the transmitter and monitor will be under 24/7 surveillance from industry professionals.

Patients also have access to the monitoring of their glucose levels through a mobile app which will synchronize to the monitor which they can attach on their arms, backs and stomachs.

Dr. John Torpiano, who formed part of the project, spoke about the procedure and how patients will be better safeguarded through this.

The monitor and app could provide warnings to patients about their glucose levels. Every 5 minutes a check is made by the monitor and if the sugar level is low or high a warning is sent to the patients mobile as well as the parents if that option is selected.

Torpiano also confirmed that, through this initiative, if some readings are off, since there is 24/7 monitoring by health professionals, contact could be made to the patients were if the problem is not rectified an ambulance could be called to the location of the person.

Both Fearne and Torpiano confirmed that the data collected by the monitor will not be published as stipulated in the GDPR rules and regulations.