Diabetes charity wants your opinion

[katiescarlett]

Hi,

I am working for a national diabetes charity. We want to know how we can help people to manage their condition, specifically by using digital or mobile technology (for example, mobile apps that help you track your blood glucose).

If anyone has any thoughts I would love to hear them. What kind of technology do you use to track your blood glucose? What is good or bad about it? Is there anything you wish for that could help you manage your condition better?

Thank you!

Kate

 

[JTL]

Diabetes U.K?

 

[katiescarlett]

Yes - www.diabetes.org.uk/

 

[douglas99]

Meters and strips on prescription, and training in usage, and interpretation of the results.

 

[katiescarlett]

Thank you!

 

[sunshine84]

I use the dafne app. I havent actually done the course but I like it for easy data entry and overview of results. It also has a good food list for carb portions. I dont really use it for the insulin entry.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[Spiker]

There's a DAFNE app?

 

[Spiker]

Katie, DUK could sponsor or fund this site, and promote it via the DUK site and DUK publications. This site is an incredible self-help resource for education, motivation and support.

However, DUK would have to let go of the top-down, "nurse knows best" approach that is seen on DUK's own online presence. That paternalistic approach just undermines the credibility of the DUK online presence in the eyes of patients, and stifles the free flow of real experience and information. It can't be faked. Online peer support only works when it is truly peer to peer, uncensored, with no party line.

 

[Spiker]

If DUK could fund an online and mobile equivalent of the DAFNE course that would be amazing. As DAFNE is a licenced product maybe work with Bournemouth and their BDEC course, currently undergoing a major revision. But DUK has the clout to engage with DAFNE directly and bring them to the table. DAFNE is proven effective, but the delivery of it is extremely constrained by the need to train and allocate DSNs. Online or mobile apps could explosively break out of this limiting factor and provide almost universal delivery of DAFNE, and its T2 equivalent DESMOND.

 

[Spiker]

You could also support the Carbs n Cals app, maybe fund them to expand their food database, upgrade the tech (which is clunky), maybe pay for it to be given free to all diabetics in the first year of diagnosis. Clinics are generally very positive in recommending the app or book to us diabetics.

 

[Spiker]

And there is a guy on here called Andrew Colvin who has written a fantastic diabetes management app. Hire him!

 

[sunshine84]

Yep, Dafne online (android not sure about apple but presume it would be there). I think if you've done the course you can link it to an online forum and do other fancy things. But it does the job for me. You can play around with ratios and targets so your results can be displayed in colours showing if you're high/low.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

 

[Spiker]

Yep, Dafne online (android not sure about apple but presume it would be there). I think if you've done the course you can link it to an online forum and do other fancy things. But it does the job for me. You can play around with ratios and targets so your results can be displayed in colours showing if you're high/low.

Sent from the Diabetes Forum App

Ah Ok, thanks for the explanation!

Katie, what would really make a big difference is an online/mobile equivalent to DAFNE. Providing online tools to people after they do real-world DAFNE doesn't in any way use technology to address the major challenge for DAFNE which is scaling it out quickly and economically to the whole diabetic community.

 

[katiescarlett]

Thank you so much everyone, that's really interesting! I knew about DAFNE but definitely need to look into it more and talk to the folks there - and to Andrew if I can get hold of him. Thanks!

 

[phoenix]

Katie, DUK could sponsor or fund this site, and promote it via the DUK site and DUK publications. This site is an incredible self-help resource for education, motivation and support.

However, DUK would have to let go of the top-down, "nurse knows best" approach that is seen on DUK's own online presence. That paternalistic approach just undermines the credibility of the DUK online presence in the eyes of patients, and stifles the free flow of real experience and information. It can't be faked. Online peer support only works when it is truly peer to peer, uncensored, with no party line.

Spiker DUK already sponsors/supports an online forum. I don't see an overt presence on it .

I haven't seen this app in real life (I'm an odd person without a mobile phone!_ but I like the idea of it. It helps people calculate the carbs, and also suggests a dose. It is is French and based on French eating patterns. (devised by a hospital dieticienne and sponsored by a drug company) It seems a bit like the carbs and cals app with added dose calculation. (nice if you could then add the record of BG and insulin taken)
http://www.sanofi-diabete.fr/Accueil/Menu/Nos-outils-patients/Colonne-gauche/Mon-Glucocompteur

 

[Chas C]

Anyone know why you need to log into the DAFNE on line site, and how its done ?

I did the BERTIE course at Bournemouth (their equivalent) but unable to access the DAFNE site ?

 

[Spiker]

Spiker DUK already sponsors/supports an online forum. I don't see an overt presence on it .

Exactly why I'm suggesting they fund, sponsor and promote THIS forum. As long as they can live with not exercising control over the content.

 

[Spiker]

Anyone know why you need to log into the DAFNE on line site, and how its done ?

I did the BERTIE course at Bournemouth (their equivalent) but unable to access the DAFNE site ?

You have to be a DAFNE graduate. Like all things DAFNE it is protected by a wall of secrecy. I did not find it any use.

 

[Spiker]

I haven't seen this app in real life (I'm an odd person without a mobile phone!_ but I like the idea of it. It helps people calculate the carbs, and also suggests a dose. ... It seems a bit like the carbs and cals app with added dose calculation. (nice if you could then add the record of BG and insulin taken)

Yes maybe DUK could support/pressure Sanofi to release an English version of this app?

In general Katie a great thing for DUK to fund would be mobile-based dose calculator apps, preferably integrated with diabetes management apps as phoenix suggests. NICE identify dose calculation apps as a major opportunity area in diabetes care. Some of us have dose calculators in our pumps or BG meters. A free mobile app with dose calculator functions would be great for everyone else who doesn't.

 

[Hooked]

Hi,

I am working for a national diabetes charity. We want to know how we can help people to manage their condition, specifically by using digital or mobile technology (for example, mobile apps that help you track your blood glucose).

If anyone has any thoughts I would love to hear them. What kind of technology do you use to track your blood glucose? What is good or bad about it? Is there anything you wish for that could help you manage your condition better?

Thank you!

Kate

I use an iBGStar monitor with my iPhone. I also have the Carbs & Cals app as well as the My Fitness Pal app for counting carbs. Both of whch are valuable. The My Fitness Pal one is great for times I can't read the packaging's small writing; though it requires me to log in each time I go to use it which is a pain.