Use of Mobile Phones in Self-management of Diabetes in Children and Teenagers

This document presents guidelines on the use of smartphones and supportive mobile technology tools in the self-management of Diabetes in children and teenagers. Supportive mobile technologies are a set of gear that enhance the patient’s ability to monitor their state of health using their mobile phone (Klasnja & Pratt, 2012). Hence, the first step in this plan will be to acquire a mobile phone and a specific set of compatible technology tools comprising Telcare’s Blood Glucose Monitor, Glooko’s MeterSync Cable, and WellDoc’s DiabetesManager. This combination of gadgets will serve as a medium for collecting and logging blood glucose readings, providing real-time alerts and reminders, and translating and interpreting data over time. In particular, the smartphone will provide an interface for sharing data with the physicians and caregivers as well as make educational materials available based on the available trends.

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             Glooko’s MeterSync Cable is a universal cable that enables the patient to download glucose readings from a glucose meter. It will be used along with the Telcare’s Blood Glucose Monitor to keep track of all glucose readings, transmit data wirelessly, and provide real-time feedback. Telcare’s Blood Glucose Monitor can also be used individually without the need of logging readings to a smartphone as it is an enhanced type of monitor (Telcare, 2018). Nevertheless, this plan incorporates smartphones for purposes of integrating data into a management system and educating the patient. Glooko’s MeterSync Cable will therefore be used as a mere data transmission device for transferring data to the smartphone or a personal computer if need be (Baldridge, 2017). Lastly, the WellDoc’s DiabetesManager will serves as a diabetes management platform. It will be installed in the patient’s phone and used to interpret the data collected by Telcare’s Blood Glucose monitor. The platform will also send real-time alerts, educational materials, and actionable messages to patients based on their clinical information.

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            WellDoc DiabetesManager is clinically tested and FDA-cleared to provide automated and real-time behavioral coaching and clinical decision support for the patient (Quinn et al., 2008). As a software-based system, it supports patients and empowers healthcare professionals to design certain parameters and extend care beyond traditional hospital visits through utilization of the internet and smartphones. Among its capabilities is the capture, storage, and transmission of self-management data to the physician and medication adherence. The transmitted data is analyzed by an Automated Expert Analytics System that identifies trends and delivers applicable behavioral and educational lessons to enable the patient achieve medication adjustments and effective lifestyle. The captured data will be used purposely to assess the patient’s state of health and detection of symptom changes.        

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Altogether, this plan will require input from parents or guardians of the patients in form of assistance and adherence. It is important for the patient’s family to monitor the fulfillment of the requirements of this plan as children may forget or obscure the procedures. A significant advantage with this self-management strategy is that it applies throughout the teenage years and does not necessarily need to be changed unless a physician advises otherwise. This plan was successfully submitted to my healthcare setting and reviewed. My supervisors appraised it as valuable and applicable self-management model for diabetes patients. They claimed that the combination of smartphones and other technology tools has clear epidemiological value as it allows patient data to be collected over time. However, its implementation would depend on the center’s reimbursement model.

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