Only 6.3% Of People With Diabetes Rely On Continuous Glucose Monitors For Diabetes Management, Possibly Due To High Costs And Accuracy Concerns
2024年7月11日 - 11:03PM
ビジネスワイヤ(英語)
Although continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) continue to be
promoted as an innovative tool for diabetes management, overall
adoption is low because there are several issues with these devices
that make it difficult for patients and providers. These issues are
detailed in a new, in-depth blog by Smart Meter, the leading
supplier of Cellular Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM)™
solutions.
The first and foremost issue is the cost of using a CGM, which
not only includes the initial setup of as much as $1,200, but
ongoing fees that can be up to $300 a month. This presents a large
barrier to many people with diabetes who cannot afford that kind of
out-of-pocket expense.
“While CGMs have been widely commercialized, they are simply not
attainable for a large number of people with diabetes,” said Casey
Pittock, Smart Meter CEO. “In addition, the enormous amount of
publicity that weight-loss drugs have received has complicated the
CGM market, slowing demand. These two factors are leading more and
more physicians to prescribe glucose monitors that use a small drop
of blood to measure the patient’s current glucose level.”
Another major problem with CGMs is disconnection issues because
they rely on Bluetooth, WiFi, and a smartphone to send the reading.
When one of these connections is lost, patients, the supplier of
the device, and sometimes the physician’s office, must spend time
pairing, synching or troubleshooting to regain the connection. This
leads to missed readings and lost data that is critical to diabetes
management.
There is also concern about the accuracy of CGMs. One reason for
inaccuracy with CGM readings could be how they measure glucose.
With traditional blood glucose monitoring, patients are measuring
the amount of glucose that is present in their blood at that exact
moment in time. In contrast, CGM devices pierce the top layer of
skin and measures glucose in the interstitial fluid and not actual
blood, which is not as accurate. CGMs may also require periodic
calibration with traditional blood glucose meters. For example, an
Abbott press release about Libre Rio, an over-the-counter CGM,
states "if readings do not match symptoms or expectations, use a
fingerstick value from a blood glucose meter for treatment
decisions."
One study1 found that while CGM devices may lead to improved
glycemic control in patients with diabetes, there were many issues
with the technology, which often led to patient dissatisfaction and
discontinued use. Among the top reasons cited was varying levels of
accuracy between sensors, particularly on the first and last day of
wear. This led to 59% of participants stopping use of their CGM
device for at least one month. Another 32% of users continued to
test their blood sugar using traditional blood glucose monitoring
six or more times a week, to ensure they were getting accurate
blood glucose readings.
“These critical issues can lead to uncertainty, frustration and
lack of adherence to testing protocols among patients,” Pittock
said. “Smart Meter’s iGlucose Plus meets the highest standards for
accuracy and as soon as the patient tests, the result is sent
immediately to a provider or healthcare organization.”
CGMs are only used by about 6.3 percent of the 34 million
Americans with diabetes, but it’s important to understand this
complex technology. To help educate patients and healthcare
providers on CGM devices as a treatment for the management of
diabetes, Smart Meter has created this important blog, which can be
read in its entirety here: Challenges With Continuous Glucose
Monitoring: Connectivity, Costs, and Usability - Smart Meter
(smartmeterrpm.com)
About Smart Meter, LLC
Smart Meter is the trusted supplier of cellular Remote Patient
Monitoring (RPM) and Chronic Care Management (CCM) solutions. We
empower a nationwide network of SmartPartners™ who are working
directly with healthcare providers to transform patient care.
Millions of vital health data readings are reliably delivered
across our platform every day to enable real-time, better-informed
health care. Our proprietary patient-friendly, cellular
FDA-registered monitoring devices are connected to an exclusive
AT&T 4/5G private data network to ensure an engaging patient
experience for improved adherence. For more information, visit
www.SmartMeterRPM.com
1 - Perceptions of Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems in the
T1D Exchange Diabetes Registry: Satisfaction, Concerns, and Areas
for Future Improvement - PMC (nih.gov)
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Keith Tolbert keith.tolbert@iglucose.com 336-509-8024