With flexible patient pathways, device-agnostic remote patient monitoring (RPM) and 360° insights into patient history and progress, the Calcium platform gives integrative medicine providers with more actionable analytics and clinical data.

Mobile apps for managing complex chronic conditions like diabetes increase the patient’s compliance, ease of data collection, and overall disease prognosis. In fact, a recent study introduced Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) apps to thirty two adult patients with type 2 diabetes and sixty diabetes care providers. After three months every one of them said they would consider recommending apps to their patients. In this article, we’ll explain what a DSMES app is, how it can impact client health, and highlight their economic advantages for healthcare providers and patients alike.

What Is a Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) App?

There’s no question that Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) is a significant tool for people who suffer from diabetes. It equips them with vital knowledge and skills, enabling them to take an active role in their care. Through DSMES, patients learn to make informed decisions about their diet, physical activity, and medication management – crucial factors in controlling blood glucose levels and preventing diabetes-related complications. But the complexities and daily demands of diabetes self-management can be overwhelming, making it challenging for many to consistently apply these practices without additional support. This is where digital tools, particularly mobile applications, show immense promise. These apps bridge the gap by extending the reach and effectiveness of DSMES efforts, providing a convenient and accessible platform for ongoing education, real-time monitoring, and personalized feedback.

Mobile apps enhance individuals’ ability to self-manage their condition by offering features such as medication reminders, nutritional guidance, activity tracking, and glucose monitoring. These digital aids not only support the practical aspects of diabetes management but also empower users to make lasting lifestyle changes that contribute to better health outcomes. By combining the educational foundation of DSMES with the convenience and personalization of mobile apps, individuals with diabetes can more effectively navigate the complexities of their condition. This powerful combination empowers them to take control of their health, leading to improved self-management and overall well-being.

Mobile apps for DSMES offer valuable support and provide tools to effectively manage diabetes. One example is Calcium Health. This app enables users to track essential health data. Users can continuously monitor blood sugar and other vital signs. The app promptly alerts users if readings deviate from predetermined ranges. It also notifies healthcare providers simultaneously. Timely intervention becomes possible with this notification system. Potential complications can be prevented.

The Calcium Health app incorporates customizable reminder functions. Users receive reminders for medication schedules. They get prompts for recommended nutrition plans. Activity reminders help maintain an active lifestyle. Users can tailor reminders to suit their individual needs. With these features, treatment plans can feel a lot more achievable for people with diabetes.

One feature of the Calcium Health app that’s especially engaging is gamification. Users earn rewards for making healthy choices. Patients earn points by making healthy food choices, keeping their vitals and blood glucose in range, and increasing their activity level.

By combining educational resources, real-time data tracking, and motivational incentives, diabetes self-management apps like Calcium Health empower individuals to take an active role in their care. This comprehensive approach supports sustainable lifestyle changes and better symptom management, ultimately improving overall health outcomes for those living with diabetes.

How DSMES Mobile Apps Can Help Health Care Providers Lower The Cost of Diabetes Care

Mobile apps for DSMES allow healthcare team members to view a patient’s blood glucose levels in real time without requiring an office visit or ordering labs. It’s a highly effective and efficient way to determine patients’ progress and address issues between visits.

The healthcare team can proactively make changes and propose solutions to any issues that develop before the patient becomes critically ill. Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) mobile apps create better health outcomes and the provider benefits from fewer unbillable contact hours to track down information.

In addition to having instant access to patient information, access can be instantly granted to other providers and hospitals when patients see specialists or require hospitalization. This free flow of information can also reduce the number of complex hospital visits, after-hour calls, and extensive charting.

How DSMES Mobile Apps Lower Costs, Encourage Patients, and Improve Outcomes

DSMES’s role encompasses not simply patient education but the creation of a collaborative treatment establishment aimed at continued assistance and self-care. The Journal of Medical Economics reported patients using digital health tools that link to their care providers reduced their monthly medical expenses by an average of 22%. This innovative preventive approach helps patients lower their morbidity rate related to this disease, thus making DSMESs an integral part of diabetes management. Lower costs and better outcomes make apps to self-manage care, like Calcium, one of the most cost-effective and impactful treatment options.

DSMES mobile apps for health care providers create pathways to better health by employing fun, easy-to-use interactive elements in our digital tools. These elements help patients learn, leverage, and retain information about their health and ultimately collaborate with their care team and family members to monitor and improve their well-being for a truly unified experience.

Read our case study to learn how the Calcium Health App decreased A1C levels by as much as 3%.