- Email: [email protected]
Development of a smartphone-based diabetes self-care management system
Personalized Medicine Universe 1 (2012) 85–86
Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect
Personalized Medicine Universe journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/pmu
Letter to the Editor
Development of a smartphone-based diabetes self-care management system
The authors send the warmest congratulations on the launch of the official journal, “Personalized Medicine Universe,” for the International Society of Personalized Medicine, and would like to take this time to also express sincere gratitude for the invitation to submit a research paper. We are delighted to introduce to the journal our latest development, a smartphone-based diabetes self-care management system. Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a progressive disease, with a low chance of complete recovery, which requires life-long care. In order to achieve desirable clinical outcomes, it is crucial for patients to engage in appropriate self-care, as well as to seek proper medical treatment. Commonly recommended measures of self-management include the daily monitoring and recording of one’s blood glucose levels. However, these tasks tend to be somewhat bothersome, and thus, are largely overlooked by the patients. The Diabcare Asia 2001 study shows that only 16.8% of Korean patients with DM are practicing selfmonitoring of blood glucose regularly [1]. In effect, a vast number of DM patients face stress and frustrations in managing their disease, which often results in the patient burning out. With advances in intelligent technology (IT), various efforts have been made to address the drawbacks of the existing medical system, by applying a computer or Internet-based solution to manage patients. In particular, since lifestyle associated chronic diseases, including DM, demand an individualized and sophisticated care, IT is increasingly expected to play a pivotal role. Some researchers have already attempted to build a model that could be managed DM conveniently, using technologies such as the Internet or cellular phones, and have reported promising findings [2]. However, the scope of how these existing services are applied is limited. Most rely on a closed user interface that only operates at specific hospitals, for specific patient groups, using specific equipment that lack compatibility. Also, the needs of the patients were not sufficiently met due to the lack of their feedback and opinions based on their experiences during the developmental stage. In addition, a variety of socioeconomic factors such as age, income, and education, were not entirely taken into account. The use of relatively high-priced and complicated IT devices, that require pre-training before use, has not been embraced by all [3]. Therefore, the previous IT solutions failed to win widespread support. Among numerous gadgets, the smartphone is the most commonly-used device, with far-reaching implications. Among Korea’s 49.6 million mobile subscribers, 7.1 million own a smartphone (as of December 2010) [4]. Smartphones account for 52% of the entire sale of mobile phones in the nation, sharply overtaking the figures for conventional feature phones [4]. In fact, by 2012, the number of smartphone users will reach as many as 25 million people [4]. Many phone developers are aggressively seeking ways
to expand their market share by rolling out a wide range of models for different targets, allowing people to buy these devices at an affordable price. Also, regardless of the manufacturers, the existing smartphones are powered by one or two given operating systems, which boast a high compatibility with applications. Such characteristics further endorse the device’s easy accessibility and allows for a lower barrier for the user. Therefore, capitalizing on smartphone technology to manage chronic diseases, including DM, may prove to be more effective than other IT-based devices. In this regard, the researchers developed ‘Diabetes Diary’, a smartphone application for the self-care required for DM patients, and have thus acquired a patent for the underlying algorithm [5]. Contents and functions of this application was carefully designed by diabetes specialists and programmed by professional software company. This smartphone-based application used graphic user interface for easy use and provided charge-free for public benefit. With this application, many patients could record their glucose changes as flow chart or graph and shared their medical information with healthcare personnel with ease. Additionally, for better self-care management, we embedded other useful functions in this application such as complication record, educational guide for patients, cardiovascular risk estimator. To the end of February 2012, we have received total 206 voluntary feedback mails from users. Although 82.5% (n ¼ 170) of users were satisfied with the current application, approximately 30 kinds of suggestions for improvement were simultaneously proposed. Based on these suggestions, we have modified and updated this application continuously. After final updates, the authors are going to undertake a research to assess the improvements on the clinical conditions and patient satisfaction when utilizing the application for diabetes self-care. In conclusion, although many are aware of the importance of proper self-care to manage life changing diseases such as DM, the previously-recommended measures were not followed by all patients. Recently, scores of researchers presented new IT-based solutions to win over a wide acceptance, but to no avail. As the smartphone has become one of the most readily accessible and available devices, the authors have recently unveiled a mobile phone application based on a graphic user interface, which enables DM patients to self-monitor their disease. The authors are presently analyzing the effectiveness of the application, and it is expected that from now on, more and more IT devices, such as the smartphone, will be used in the management of chronic diseases. Conflict of interests None.
2186-4950/$ – see front matter Copyright Ó 2012, International Society of Personalized Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.pmu.2012.04.004
86
Letter to the Editor / Personalized Medicine Universe 1 (2012) 85–86
Acknowledgments This article was supported by grants from the Korean Diabetes Association (Educator Grant) and Korea Healthcare Technology R&D Project, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea (A102065).
Research Institute of Endocrinology, Kyung Hee University, South Korea Jeong-taek Woo Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, South Korea Research Institute of Endocrinology, Kyung Hee University, South Korea
References [1] Rhee SY, Kim YS, Oh S, et al. Diabcare Asia 2001–Korea country report on outcome data and analysis. Korean J Intern Med 2005;20:48–54. [2] Franklin VL, Waller A, Pagliari C, et al. A randomized controlled trial of sweet talk, a text-messaging system to support young people with diabetes. Diabet Med 2006;23:1332–8. [3] Lim S, Kim SY, Kim JI, et al. A survey on ubiquitous healthcare service demand among diabetic patients. Diabetes Metabol J 2011;35:50–7. [4] Maeil economy news; January 14, 2011. [5] Rhee SY. Method and apparatus of providing application for managing diabetes. Korean patent, 10–1075596; 2011.
Sang Youl Rhee Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, South Korea
Young Seol Kim Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, South Korea Research Institute of Endocrinology, Kyung Hee University, South Korea Young Kil Choi* Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, CHA University College of Medicine, 650-9 Yeoksam1-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-913, South Korea * Corresponding author. Tel.: +82 2 3468 3000; fax: +82 2 3468 2611. E-mail address: [email protected]
Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect
Personalized Medicine Universe journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/pmu
Letter to the Editor
Development of a smartphone-based diabetes self-care management system
The authors send the warmest congratulations on the launch of the official journal, “Personalized Medicine Universe,” for the International Society of Personalized Medicine, and would like to take this time to also express sincere gratitude for the invitation to submit a research paper. We are delighted to introduce to the journal our latest development, a smartphone-based diabetes self-care management system. Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a progressive disease, with a low chance of complete recovery, which requires life-long care. In order to achieve desirable clinical outcomes, it is crucial for patients to engage in appropriate self-care, as well as to seek proper medical treatment. Commonly recommended measures of self-management include the daily monitoring and recording of one’s blood glucose levels. However, these tasks tend to be somewhat bothersome, and thus, are largely overlooked by the patients. The Diabcare Asia 2001 study shows that only 16.8% of Korean patients with DM are practicing selfmonitoring of blood glucose regularly [1]. In effect, a vast number of DM patients face stress and frustrations in managing their disease, which often results in the patient burning out. With advances in intelligent technology (IT), various efforts have been made to address the drawbacks of the existing medical system, by applying a computer or Internet-based solution to manage patients. In particular, since lifestyle associated chronic diseases, including DM, demand an individualized and sophisticated care, IT is increasingly expected to play a pivotal role. Some researchers have already attempted to build a model that could be managed DM conveniently, using technologies such as the Internet or cellular phones, and have reported promising findings [2]. However, the scope of how these existing services are applied is limited. Most rely on a closed user interface that only operates at specific hospitals, for specific patient groups, using specific equipment that lack compatibility. Also, the needs of the patients were not sufficiently met due to the lack of their feedback and opinions based on their experiences during the developmental stage. In addition, a variety of socioeconomic factors such as age, income, and education, were not entirely taken into account. The use of relatively high-priced and complicated IT devices, that require pre-training before use, has not been embraced by all [3]. Therefore, the previous IT solutions failed to win widespread support. Among numerous gadgets, the smartphone is the most commonly-used device, with far-reaching implications. Among Korea’s 49.6 million mobile subscribers, 7.1 million own a smartphone (as of December 2010) [4]. Smartphones account for 52% of the entire sale of mobile phones in the nation, sharply overtaking the figures for conventional feature phones [4]. In fact, by 2012, the number of smartphone users will reach as many as 25 million people [4]. Many phone developers are aggressively seeking ways
to expand their market share by rolling out a wide range of models for different targets, allowing people to buy these devices at an affordable price. Also, regardless of the manufacturers, the existing smartphones are powered by one or two given operating systems, which boast a high compatibility with applications. Such characteristics further endorse the device’s easy accessibility and allows for a lower barrier for the user. Therefore, capitalizing on smartphone technology to manage chronic diseases, including DM, may prove to be more effective than other IT-based devices. In this regard, the researchers developed ‘Diabetes Diary’, a smartphone application for the self-care required for DM patients, and have thus acquired a patent for the underlying algorithm [5]. Contents and functions of this application was carefully designed by diabetes specialists and programmed by professional software company. This smartphone-based application used graphic user interface for easy use and provided charge-free for public benefit. With this application, many patients could record their glucose changes as flow chart or graph and shared their medical information with healthcare personnel with ease. Additionally, for better self-care management, we embedded other useful functions in this application such as complication record, educational guide for patients, cardiovascular risk estimator. To the end of February 2012, we have received total 206 voluntary feedback mails from users. Although 82.5% (n ¼ 170) of users were satisfied with the current application, approximately 30 kinds of suggestions for improvement were simultaneously proposed. Based on these suggestions, we have modified and updated this application continuously. After final updates, the authors are going to undertake a research to assess the improvements on the clinical conditions and patient satisfaction when utilizing the application for diabetes self-care. In conclusion, although many are aware of the importance of proper self-care to manage life changing diseases such as DM, the previously-recommended measures were not followed by all patients. Recently, scores of researchers presented new IT-based solutions to win over a wide acceptance, but to no avail. As the smartphone has become one of the most readily accessible and available devices, the authors have recently unveiled a mobile phone application based on a graphic user interface, which enables DM patients to self-monitor their disease. The authors are presently analyzing the effectiveness of the application, and it is expected that from now on, more and more IT devices, such as the smartphone, will be used in the management of chronic diseases. Conflict of interests None.
2186-4950/$ – see front matter Copyright Ó 2012, International Society of Personalized Medicine. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.pmu.2012.04.004
86
Letter to the Editor / Personalized Medicine Universe 1 (2012) 85–86
Acknowledgments This article was supported by grants from the Korean Diabetes Association (Educator Grant) and Korea Healthcare Technology R&D Project, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Republic of Korea (A102065).
Research Institute of Endocrinology, Kyung Hee University, South Korea Jeong-taek Woo Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, South Korea Research Institute of Endocrinology, Kyung Hee University, South Korea
References [1] Rhee SY, Kim YS, Oh S, et al. Diabcare Asia 2001–Korea country report on outcome data and analysis. Korean J Intern Med 2005;20:48–54. [2] Franklin VL, Waller A, Pagliari C, et al. A randomized controlled trial of sweet talk, a text-messaging system to support young people with diabetes. Diabet Med 2006;23:1332–8. [3] Lim S, Kim SY, Kim JI, et al. A survey on ubiquitous healthcare service demand among diabetic patients. Diabetes Metabol J 2011;35:50–7. [4] Maeil economy news; January 14, 2011. [5] Rhee SY. Method and apparatus of providing application for managing diabetes. Korean patent, 10–1075596; 2011.
Sang Youl Rhee Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, South Korea
Young Seol Kim Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kyung Hee University School of Medicine, South Korea Research Institute of Endocrinology, Kyung Hee University, South Korea Young Kil Choi* Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, CHA University College of Medicine, 650-9 Yeoksam1-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-913, South Korea * Corresponding author. Tel.: +82 2 3468 3000; fax: +82 2 3468 2611. E-mail address: [email protected]