Managing diabetes can be a bear. Newly diagnosed patients often receive prescriptions for multiple medications and suddenly find themselves tasked with taking blood samples, using glucosometers, and administering insulin injections. They also have to commit to tracking nutrition, exercise, and often sleep, stress, and even meditation. That’s a lot to handle. In addition to medical visits, education and ongoing coaching and support can ease the transition to living with diabetes, but it’s still a major life change. Diabetes management apps for smartphones attempt to help with all of the information tasks, but a missing piece for most has been an easy way to incorporate data from wearable fitness and health tech devices.
InfoMed Data Systems‘ free One Drop app tracks glucose, medication, food, and activity. The app is available for both iOS and Android devices. The iOS version has the ability to synchronize with Apple Health compatible glucose monitors such as Dexcom, One Touch Verio Sync, and AccuCheck Aviva Connect. It pulls data from activity trackers including Nike+ Running, Jawbone’s UP, and Garmin Connect. The iOS version can also share reports with care teams.
One Drop Premium, a subscription-based service with monthly and annual payment plans includes Chrome, a multi-piece set of essential of glucose testing apparatus. Chrome consists of a slick-looking Bluetooth glucosometer, a lancing device with 10 lancets, a test strip container with unlimited test strips, and a black vegan leather carrying case to hold all the components. According to the company, the Chrome glucose meter accuracy has been confirmed in both clinical and lab settings. Test strip use is measured by the app and monthly shipments are sent automatically based on usage; users can also request extras. Subscribers also have access to a 9-week education program to learn the necessary skills to manage their diabetes. Certified Diabetes Educators are available to subscribers 24/7 to provide coaching, support, and encouragement. So this one app and subscription service attempts to be a complete solution.
The One Drop mobile app is one of the most popular diabetes management programs for in the Apple App Store. According to the company website, the Android version will be updated in March 2017 to include device synchronization and care team reporting. Comprehensive health tech apps that provide complete patient solutions including synching with other wearables represent an important step in the maturing wearable health tech industry.
