Diabetes care, especially helping patients with type 2 diabetes, comes with a set of challenges. Many patients struggle to maintain consistent glucose levels, often because they aren’t checking their blood sugar frequently or don’t have the right tools to monitor it in real time. Traditional methods like fingersticks provide limited data, making it difficult to make informed decisions about diet, exercise, and medication. However, digital interventions, such as continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems, offer a better solution.
Let’s discuss the current challenges and actionable steps to integrate CGM and other digital tools into diabetes care.
The Problem: Inconsistent Monitoring Limits Success
One of the most significant issues in diabetes management is that many patients don’t monitor their glucose levels regularly. This lack of visibility means that patients often miss important trends in their blood sugar fluctuations, which can lead to unrecognized hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia. Without this information, it’s nearly impossible for patients to make informed choices about managing their condition, leading to poor long-term outcomes.
In addition, barriers such as the cost of advanced technology, insurance coverage, and concerns over the usability of CGM devices have historically made it difficult for many patients to access these tools.
The Solution: Digital Health Tools
CGM technology offers patients real-time data about their blood sugar levels throughout the day, allowing them to see how their behaviors—such as food intake and physical activity—affect their glucose. With this immediate feedback, patients can make better decisions, adjust their habits, and improve their glucose control.
However, while CGM has the potential to transform diabetes care, ensuring its effective use requires taking the right steps.
Step 1: Educating Patients on CGM Benefits
A critical first step is education. Many patients are initially hesitant to adopt CGM technology, either because they don’t understand how it works or because they’re intimidated by using a new device. When patients see their glucose data in real-time, they often experience ‘aha’ moments. They suddenly understand why they feel certain symptoms and are more motivated to change.
By clearly explaining how CGM provides continuous feedback, clinicians can show patients that this data empowers them to take control of their diabetes. Education should focus not just on how to use the device but also on how to interpret the data it provides.
Step 2: Expanding CGM Access to More Patients
Historically, CGM was reserved for patients on multiple doses of insulin, but recent regulatory changes have expanded its availability. Today, patients using basal insulin or even those who experience frequent hypoglycemia can benefit from CGM. As insurance coverage improves, especially through programs like CMS, more patients can access this life-changing technology.
Clinicians should proactively offer CGM to a wider range of patients, including those who may not realize they are eligible or who could benefit from tracking their glucose levels more closely. This proactive approach can help patients manage their diabetes more effectively by identifying patterns in their glucose levels earlier on.
Step 3: Addressing Patient Concerns About Device Wearing
While CGM provides valuable data, some patients hesitate to wear a device full-time. This concern can often be mitigated by allowing patients to try CGM on a short-term basis. You can suggest patients undergo a trial period where they use CGM as a “health monitor” for just a week. In many cases, once patients experience the convenience and insight CGM provides, they are more likely to continue using the device.
For those who remain reluctant, it’s essential to have open conversations about their concerns. Clinicians can reassure patients that the technology has evolved significantly—today’s devices are smaller, more comfortable, and much more user-friendly than earlier models.
Step 4:Â Leveraging Additional Digital Tools
Beyond CGM, other digital tools like connected insulin pens and insulin pumps can further enhance diabetes management. These devices help patients by tracking insulin doses, ensuring that they take the right amount at the right time, and reducing the risk of missed doses. For patients who struggle with multiple injections daily, insulin pumps offer an effective solution by simplifying insulin delivery and improving absorption.
By integrating CGM data with connected devices, patients and clinicians can get a more comprehensive view of how lifestyle choices and medication interact. This makes it easier to adjust treatment plans as needed, improving outcomes over time.
Step 5: Overcoming Therapeutic Inertia
One less-discussed barrier to successful diabetes management is therapeutic inertia—the hesitation or delay in adjusting treatment plans. Both clinicians and patients can fall into a pattern of sticking with the status quo, even when the data suggests changes are needed. By using CGM data in real-time, clinicians can more easily spot when adjustments to medication or lifestyle are necessary and take action without delay.
Encouraging patients to actively participate in their care and make adjustments based on their CGM data can also help overcome this inertia. With continuous feedback, patients are more likely to engage in self-management, which leads to better outcomes.
Empower Your Patients with Digital Tools Starting Today
The challenges of diabetes management are significant, but digital tools like CGM, connected insulin pens, and insulin pumps provide powerful solutions. By educating patients, addressing their concerns, and making these tools accessible to a wider range of people, clinicians can help patients take control of their diabetes in new and meaningful ways.
The key to success is not just in providing the technology but in empowering patients with the knowledge and support they need to use it effectively. When used correctly, digital interventions have the potential to transform diabetes care and significantly improve patient outcomes.
