Supporting patient engagement with digital health

Challenge: Using self-reported blood glucose data to make effective clinical interventions

The diabetes clinics experienced a variety of challenges before implementing the mySugr app and the RocheDiabetes Care Platform:

Some patients reported not monitoring frequently enough, and their blood glucose levels showed they were not getting readings in-range a large proportion of the time.
Healthcare professionals at these sites observed that self-reported blood glucose readings don't always align with HbA1c results, this can make intervention plans challenging.
Patients can forget to bring blood glucose readings to appointments, which meant their healthcare professional was unable to make any treatment adjustments, making the appointment time less effective.

Results: After using integrated digital solutions: the mySugr app and the RocheDiabetes Care Platform

Healthcare Professionals at these two clinics reported that patients were becoming more engaged in their own management with access to their own data. Healthcare professionals can trust the data that is being shared and can make clinical interventions based on the data.

With access to their patients' live blood glucose data on the RocheDiabetes Care Platform, healthcare professionals can see when interventions are needed between appointments, and appropriate treatment adjustments can be made in a timely manner.

“For people with type two diabetes the app is good because they can see their time in target improving. I have patients who are testing more often and becoming more engaged because they have the app and they can see their results.”

Diabetes Specialist Service Team Lead

Patient example: Clare's story

Clare was referred to the diabetes specialist clinic with an HbA1c of 102 mmol/mol. Clare hadn’t been engaging with her diabetes care and admits she had been “in denial” with her diabetes management for about twenty years. She hadn’t tried using a health management app before and she very rarely checked her blood glucose; usually only when she knew that she had an upcoming appointment with her consultant.

At the specialist clinic Clare was set up with Accu-Chek Instant with mySugr, she found it helped to make her interested in her blood glucose readings. She is now monitoring twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. She finds that having the graph, and being able to see her own data helps to motivate her, she now feels she can make a difference to her diabetes management.

Clare’s HbA1c is now the lowest it’s ever been in her life, at 44 mmol/mol, and Clare was discharged from the diabetes specialist service after six months.

Even though she’s left the service her confidence is boosted because she has the mySugr app.

“The app has made me more aware of how I can help myself. I rely on my partner for support but this gives me independence. I know my blood glucose results right away and I get a good feeling when I see good results. It gives you a goal, you see that HbA1C and you never want it to go up again.”

Clare, patient with diabetes

“Clare has gone from being in denial to embracing her health, it’s opened up a whole new world to her. She is in control of her own self-monitoring and her diabetes care.”

Clare’s husband

Patient example: Leslie's story

When Leslie’s blood glucose levels started to rise he was referred to the diabetes specialist service in Sunderland. Until then, he had been using a paper diary to record his blood glucose readings but admitted he was monitoring infrequently.

The diabetes specialist nurse who saw Leslie at the clinic set up the mySugr app on his phone, which he used alongside the Accu-Chek Instant meter. Leslie found this way of recording his blood glucose results “more accurate and a more sensible way of doing it”, and he found it incredibly useful to have the nurse set up the app for him.

Leslie now checks between two and five times a day.

Leslie hadn’t used a health app prior to using mySugr, but he now regularly reviews his data and he likes being able to look back and compare his previous data. He also values being able to see his estimated HbA1c. Previously he had no idea what this value was, and the run up to receiving this result made him nervous.

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The lifestyle images included in this article are stock photos used for illustrative purposes only.

Quotations sourced from recorded interviews as part of consultancy agreements with Roche Diabetes Care in 2022.

The mySugr Bolus Calculator is licensed for people with diabetes over the age of 18 years. The mySugr logbook is licensed for people with diabetes over the age of 16 years.

1. Type 2 diabetes care in England after the COVID-19 pandemic: Analysis of a survey of 1,000 people with type 2 diabetes. Survey conducted by Roche Diabetes Care. March 2021.

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