{"id":1993,"date":"2022-01-21T11:21:42","date_gmt":"2022-01-21T05:51:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/?p=1993"},"modified":"2024-06-12T16:17:08","modified_gmt":"2024-06-12T10:47:08","slug":"how-dtx-provides-the-missing-piece-in-diabetes-management-consistency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/how-dtx-provides-the-missing-piece-in-diabetes-management-consistency\/","title":{"rendered":"How DTx Provides the Missing Piece in Diabetes Management- CONSISTENCY!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cDoctor, we just can\u2019t do it! It\u2019s too tough. There are too many things to remember, the doses of the medicines are confusing and we don\u2019t have the time to do exercise daily.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Does this sound familiar? Have you had patients diagnosed with diabetes, who are frustrated with the lack of progress they are making? This type of response is not surprising because studies have shown <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/www.jfponline.com\/home\/article\/time-requirements-for-diabetes-self-management-too-much-for-many\/a0d8c169e67a99b93f7cd0abc1ecebe5.html\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">that 90% to 95% of diabetes care requires self-care<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/digital-therapeutics-helps-doctors-improve-patient-compliance-and-outcomes\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> problem with compliance<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> arises when patients are unable to keep up with the level of self-care required for treatments to work.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>In this article you will read about:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong><a href=\"#one\">Monitoring Diabetes: Is it a question of commitment?<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"#two\">Extending a Helping Hand<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"#three\">It\u2019s all about taking small steps to achieve big goals! <\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong><a href=\"#four\">Digital Therapeutics as an Ally<\/a><\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><b><span id=\"one\">Monitoring Diabetes: Is it a question of commitment?\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/10.1177\/0145721708316625\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The American Association of Diabetic Educators (AADE)<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> has identified 7 key patient behaviours that when followed, ensure good results. These include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">healthy eating<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">being physically active<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">monitoring of blood sugar<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">compliant with medications<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">good problem-solving skills<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">healthy coping skills<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">risk-reduction behaviours<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When we put ourselves in the patient\u2019s shoes, we have to ask &#8211; is it truly a lack of motivation on their part, or are they missing an essential piece of the puzzle?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span id=\"two\">Extending a Helping Hand<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As healthcare providers, how can we go beyond our clinic walls to get patients the care and guidance they need? Steps that go beyond testing, diagnosing, prescriptions and advice?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In an effort to get patients to comply with treatment plans, here are a few techniques that have shown great results:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>1. Teamwork makes the dream work!\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Getting a multidisciplinary team of providers from all fields to treat the patient holistically &#8211; from physical and mental wellbeing to nutritional habits, lifestyle factors and exercises, have shown great results.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>2. Getting Up Close and Personal!\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Considering that there is no \u201cone size fits all\u201d model in diabetes, a tailor-made approach is just what patients need! Every patient has a different health literacy level and may not have access to foods required for a complete diet change. This is when a personalised approach works! It may be as simple as:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">giving ideas for alternative foods<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">an easier way to get their body moving\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">a simple resource for clearing their doubts <\/span><b><\/b><b><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>3. Showing them the ropes!\u00a0<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Educating patients about how to effectively manage their condition has been effective in getting them comfortable and more compliant with their treatments. A study in the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/bjd-abcd.com\/index.php\/bjd\/article\/view\/549\/899\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">British Journal of Diabetes<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> illustrated the hallmarks of an effective diabetes self-management education (DSME) program, in the figure below.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1996 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Dr-Lak-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"900\" height=\"338\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Dr-Lak-2.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Dr-Lak-2-300x113.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Dr-Lak-2-1024x384.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Dr-Lak-2-768x288.jpg 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 900px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 900\/338;\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter wp-image-1996\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Dr-Lak-2.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"900\" height=\"338\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Dr-Lak-2.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Dr-Lak-2-300x113.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Dr-Lak-2-1024x384.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Dr-Lak-2-768x288.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/noscript><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><b>Consistent Action Creates Consistent Results\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However,\u00a0 even if targeted and team-based approaches are offered to patients, the key ingredient to great clinical outcomes still lies in <\/span><b>CONSISTENCY!\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<h2><b><span id=\"three\">It\u2019s all about taking small steps to achieve big goals<\/span><\/b><b>!\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We know that continuous monitoring of blood sugar levels, activity levels and tracking calories can be overwhelming for patients. <\/span><b><i>However, lifestyle therapy cannot be limited to just diet and exercise<\/i><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pmc\/articles\/PMC6166557\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Studies have shown <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">that patients need the <\/span><b><i>right mental and emotional support<\/i><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to stay motivated and resilient through the ups and downs of dealing with a chronic condition like diabetes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recent research in the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bmj.com\/content\/361\/bmj.k1959\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">British Medical Journal <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">highlighted the importance of consistent follow-up with patients for good clinical outcomes. They were divided into control and intervention groups where <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the intervention group received a tailored package of text messages for up to nine months in addition to the usual care provided to the control group. This offered information, support, motivation, and reminders related to diabetes self-management and lifestyle behaviours. At the end of the study period, patients in the intervention group enjoyed a significantly greater reduction in HbA1C levels than those in the control group.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1995 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Dr-Lak.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"450\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Dr-Lak.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Dr-Lak-300x113.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Dr-Lak-1024x384.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Dr-Lak-768x288.jpg 768w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 1200px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 1200\/450;\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-1995\" src=\"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Dr-Lak.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1200\" height=\"450\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Dr-Lak.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Dr-Lak-300x113.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Dr-Lak-1024x384.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Dr-Lak-768x288.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><\/noscript><\/b><\/p>\n<h2><b>Time for some Hard Truths<\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While consistent personal follow-up is a lofty goal in an ideal world, the ground reality is that very few physicians are able to keep up with the demands that come with long-term diseases like diabetes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How long can clinicians handhold patients through their treatment journeys? Is there a way to keep them consistently engaged in their health, in an efficient way?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><b><span id=\"four\">Digital Therapeutics as an Ally\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Physicians are now recognizing the importance of leveraging digital therapeutics when helping their patients navigate their treatment plans.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/powerful-partnerships-doctors-team-up-with-dtx-companies-across-the-world\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> previous blog<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> explored the<\/span><b><i> powerful partnerships <\/i><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">that are formed when doctors team up with digital therapeutic models globally as well as in India.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At Fitterfly, we believe in filling the gap between clinic visits and consultations by helping people with diabetes make lifestyle changes that are essential for achieving blood glucose control and preventing complications.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Why does this approach work?<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because it is rooted in empathy, engagement and cutting edge health technology, a combination that brings outstanding outcomes!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b><i>How do we do it?\u00a0<\/i><\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We use personalized glycemic responses from AGM\/ AGP or 20-point SMBG values to give recommendations for food, exercise and sleep.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">We guide our patients through their journey with diabetes &#8211; from macro and micronutrient deficiencies and hypoglycemia episodes to high glycemic variability.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our coaches interact personally with patients via calls and chats to nudge them towards making the right choices.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are interested in providing your patients with the best post clinic care to keep them consistent in their goals,<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/diabefly-doctors\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> click here <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">to find out more about our personalised <a href=\"https:\/\/fitterfly.com\/\">digital therapeutics programs<\/a>!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cDoctor, we just can\u2019t do it! It\u2019s too tough. There are too many things to remember, the doses of the medicines are confusing and we don\u2019t have the time to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":1994,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"wds_primary_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":{"reviewed_by":false,"references":null,"author":[27],"table_content":null,"medically_reviewed":"Not Selected","show_updated_date_in_post":"No","faq_list":null,"custom_schema":"","media_url":"","reviewer":null},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1993"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1993"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1993\/revisions"}],"acf:user":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/27"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1994"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1993"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1993"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fitterfly.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1993"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}