WATERTOWN, Mass.– As the holidays add opportunity for dietary indulgence and raise the stakes for disease management in vulnerable populations, new data show that two-thirds of US endocrinologists and primary care physicians (PCPs) surveyed agree that diabetes mobile apps help their type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients manage their care. Sixty-six percent of physicians agree that their T2D patients who use diabetes mobile apps are more in touch with their disease treatment and management, and 61% say that they are better able to manage the care of T2D patients using mobile apps because, as physicians, they can track the information that patients input and share with them.
However, just 53% agree that patients using mobile apps have better health outcomes, and 50% say that they encourage all their T2D patients to use mobile diabetes apps to track their health.
Data were sourced during the morning of November 16, 2021, in just under three hours, by InCrowd, the real-time market insights company and a brand of Apollo Intelligence (Apollo), global insights innovator for the life sciences industry. This research is the fourth in InCrowd’s Instant Insights series on timely topics.
“US doctors who care for type 2 diabetic patients clearly appreciate the role that mobile apps can play in disease management, but right now they are voicing only tepid endorsement when it comes to mobile apps driving improved health outcomes,” said Daniel S. Fitzgerald, CEO of Apollo. “As early studies start to show a connection to health outcomes, and as apps expand ease-of-use and feature sets, we’re eager to monitor physicians’ evolving views on mHealth solutions for diabetes management.”
A variety of mobile apps support weight loss, sleep management, and health and wellness considerations that impact T2D maintenance. When doctors were asked to share the apps they recommend to T2D patients, top responses included: FreeStyle Libre, CLARITY, OneTouch Reveal, Glooko, mySugr, and GlucoseBuddy.
Although only a quarter (26%) report difficulty with patients adopting diabetes mobile apps, ease of use remains an important issue for many patients. Just 23% of physicians agree that their T2D patients are tech savvy enough to use diabetes mobile apps. Forty-two percent said that given all that is required to manage T2D, many of their older patients in particular find tracking with mobile apps to be more onerous than helpful.
