Dr Vishal Sehgal, President, Medical Services, Portea Medical highlights the role of technology in diabetes care
India has the world’s second largest population of people with diabetes. Nearly 8.7% of the population in the 20-70 age group suffers from the disease.[1] It is upon the primary care providers to manage this increase through integration of the advanced technology into their diabetes care strategies.
The challenge so far has been the lack of such integration by primary care providers. We already see adequate measures taken by intensive care providers to use the most advanced diabetes care technologies and therapies to quickly bring the condition under control for patients in ICUs. On the other hand, the primary care ecosystem has been slow and even reluctant to integrate a technology-based approach.
However, with the number of people with diabetes increasing rapidly due to various factors such as obesity, stress and unhealthy lifestyles, it has become essential for caregivers to review their approach. Since the advent of digital technology, there have been tools and web platforms that help patients in the self-management of their diabetes such as devices to check the blood glucose levels, medication reminders, information on healthy eating, physical exercise and lifestyle habits etc. What this has done over the years is to eliminate the fears and uncertainty, anxiety or stress associated with the disease. Going to a diagnostic lab for periodic diabetes checkups and other things have all been burdens which advances in technology have now eliminated.
The biggest transformation in diabetes management technology has been brought about by the at-home management of the problem through glucose self-monitoring devices. In a number of instances, healthcare providers are able to successfully manage and even bring down blood glucose levels by using advanced technology driven glucose monitoring mechanisms. There are two major types of diabetes monitoring devices in prevalence nowadays.
Self-measured blood glucose (SMBG)
A typical SMBG process is where blood glucose is randomly measured by pricking the finger through the device’s needle. Unlike the conventional practice where a syringe is used to draw blood and then sent to the diagnostic lab for testing, using an SMBG device requires just a few drops of blood obtained by the finger prick. The glucose in blood reacts with the enzyme present on the test strip to generate electrons which are detected by device sensor to display the blood glucose level of the patient. Using these advanced blood glucose monitors can enable a caregiver to quickly check the diabetes levels of the patient and make decisions regarding clinical care or the self-management plan for the patient. However, these prick test- based glucose monitors can deliver effective outcomes only when the patient maintains consistency of testing, and it doesn’t provide real-time monitoring of the condition.
Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM)
Wearables that can monitor vitals have been around for quite a while, and now the advancement in technology has brought about Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) devices which offer even superior diabetes management compared to the SMBG devices. Advanced CGM devices monitor the patient on various parameters such as the time spent in desired target glucose range. As a thumb rule, a patient who spends more than 70% of the time in the range is considered to be managing blood sugar levels properly. Since there is continuous monitoring, it also leads to greater accountability and self-awareness among the patients which makes the primary care provider’s task simpler. CGM devices have become the norm in the intensive care scenarios, but now the ease of usage offers immense potential for their introduction in management of type 2 diabetes as well. These devices are usually connected to a smartphone app and can share the data with the patient as well as the healthcare provider on a real-time basis.
In the post pandemic scenario where remote monitoring and telemedicine consultation of patients has become a new standard in primary healthcare, usage of CGMs can help doctors prevent hypoglycemia with greater success.
Administration of insulin especially at meal-time has been one of the standard processes over the decades for patients with very high blood glucose levels. Typically, patients are given insulin through injections. However, insulin pens are the advanced solution for those who might need to be injected on the go, at work or at school. These are almost painless compared to injections, easily portable and take very little time to use. By prescribing digital technology embedded insulin pens, doctors can get access to the data on dosing that is recorded by the device and shared online.
Digital technology has emerged as the best option for diabetes management. As healthcare providers, using devices like CGMs or insulin pens, etc., simplifies the process and helps in achieving greater outcomes as well as patient experience. It is time to adopt these solutions and move into a smarter healthcare delivery ecosystem!
References
[1] https://www.who.int/india/Campaigns/and/events/world-diabetes-day
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This is a very informative blog. It really good to know that technology has been improving a lot towards the prevention of diabetics. its is one of the most fatal diseas someone can have in a long run.
Looking forward to more informative content.