Smartphone application helps diabetic treatment

A diabetic smartphone application by Lilly. A recent study shows that such applications can help patients effectively control blood glucose level.

By Yoon Ja-young

A healthy lifestyle is crucial in the treatment of diabetes, but doctors whom you meet every three or four months can’t change your lifestyle. That’s why a caring daughter who constantly reminds the diabetic parents to check their blood glucose level and to control their diet may be more helpful than doctors in this regard.

Prof. Park Cheol-young at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital said smartphones that people have with them 24 hours a day might play a role of the caring daughter. Patients who used diabetic smartphone applications proved that it works, with blood glucose level falling.

A 62-old-male who participates in the hospital’s program managing diabetes with a smartphone, for instance, starts the day by inputting his blood sugar level in the “Healthy Note” application, every morning. Before participating in the program, he had little idea how he could effectively control the blood sugar. As he inputs blood glucose level and other data such as blood pressure, weight, diet and exercise in the application, however, he came to better manage his health, getting feedback from the doctor and the smartphone. The application also sets goals for patients so that they can improve their health step by step. After six months, his blood glucose level fell close to normal.

According to Prof. Park, the patients who used the application at least once a day had their average HbA1c, or the average level of blood sugar over the previous three months, fall to 6.76 percent from 7.3 percent of six months ago. Among those who didn’t use the application, however, only 14.8 percent had the figure fall below 7 percent mark during the six months.

The professor stressed that patients should regularly input their condition and get feedback instead of relying on self management. The hospital plans to upgrade the application, where the readings on the blood glucose checker will be directly transmitted to the smartphone using Near Field Communication (NFC) technology and the evaluation on the patients’ health management will be sent to families.

“The medical service based on information and communication technology will change the paradigm in the field. I hope the application will be the starting point of the health promotion for people suffering from chronic diseases, including diabetes,” Prof. Park said. He presented a report on benefits of the smartphone application at the American Diabetes Association early this week.