How to Choose Diabetes Technology – DiabetesWise.org!

A new resource to help people with diabetes choose devices that are right for them

DiabetesWise.org is a new resource designed to help people with diabetes find the technology that will work best for their preferences and lifestyle. These technologies include continuous glucose monitors (CGM), insulin pumps and injections, automated insulin delivery (AID) systems, and blood glucose meters. Do you take insulin for meals and basal insulin and want a smart system that makes dosing decisions automatically? Fewer injections or fingersticks? Or do you prefer to keep it simple? This online resource can help find the technology combination that is right for you. Simple isn’t just the “basic” system – the AID systems are becoming more and more simple too!

DiabetesWise offers a short “Check Up” survey, which includes questions about a user’s current diabetes technology use, and their feelings about their diabetes management, concerns, and priorities. This survey takes less than five minutes to complete. Based on these answers, DiabetesWise offers a recommendation on what diabetes technologies to consider. For example, survey results may say, “switch from multiple daily injections and meter testing to a pump and meter testing,” along with why that options should be considered. This is a fantastic resource, in our view, that will help a lot of doctors’ offices that are very busy and sometimes do not have enough time to fully educate people with diabetes about all their options.

DiabetesWise outlines all the CGM options – Abbott FreeStyle Libre, Dexcom G6, Medtronic Guardian, Senseonics Eversense – and shares the features of each sensor, an estimated cost (based on insurance – this system is US-based), and how to get one. The website also has a “Wisdom” page, which highlights advice and stories from people with diabetes themselves – what worked for them, and what didn’t. Lolly, for example, is an engineer, dancer, instructor, and mom who uses a CGM and injections. She realized that a pump wasn’t for her, but CGM has transformed the way she has been able to manage diabetes. This page is a wonderful example of people sharing knowledge directly from their own experiences.

What else can you find on DiabetesWise.org?

• Questions to ask your diabetes care team

• How to get a pump – a step-by-step guide

• How to qualify for insurance – a step-by-step guide

• Understanding costs

• DiabetesWiseProviders – a non-biased resource dedicated to making diabetes devices accessible for providers and the people with diabetes who they serve.

DiabetesWise.org is a non-profit initiative from Stanford University School of Medicine and from people living with diabetes who are very admired and highly regarded! It is supported by the Helmsley Charitable Trust – thank you so much to all of these leaders for putting together this resource.

Note that last week, some had trouble getting through to the page that was highlighted for DiabetesWise – check this link to see the link in that original piece.