Newswise — Washington, DC—For many patients, managing diabetes successfully requires mealtime insulin dose adjustments to keep blood sugar levels in the normal range. A new initiative is launching a smartphone app and other decision-making tools to make this task easier for patients and their primary care providers.
The Accurate Insulin Decisions (AID) program, developed by the Endocrine Society and six other health care organizations, provides resources to help people with diabetes set realistic goals for better managing the disease. The program provides decision support tools for both patients and physicians to set realistic blood sugar goals and easily adjust their insulin dosage.
“Armed with these tools, millions of people who have diabetes will be positioned to play a more active role in managing their care,” said Robert A. Gabbay, MD, PhD, a member of the AID Task Force, and the chief medical officer and senior vice president of Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston. “The AID program’s tools empower patients to learn more about effective strategies for managing diabetes and facilitate important treatment discussions between patients and their health care providers.”
People who have diabetes can choose from among several insulin options: • Mealtime insulin that works rapidly to control spikes in blood sugar after meals• Long-acting insulin that lasts up to 24 hours• Premixed insulin that combines rapid-acting and long-lasting insulins
AID developed questionnaires for both patients and physicians to help determine which mealtime option would work best for the individual, depending on their lifestyle, goals and priorities. These tools set the stage for patients and providers to have a dialogue about an individualized course of treatment and engage in shared decision making.
In addition, AID offers interactive decision-support tools – online at www.accurateinsulin.org and as iPhone and Android smartphone apps – that people who take mealtime insulin can use to determine when and how to adjust their insulin. When patients enter the time insulin is taken and their blood sugar results, the tool calculates the appropriate adjustment for the next mealtime insulin dose. The information also is available as a table that can be printed and posted on the refrigerator or in another accessible place.
“It can be overwhelming for people with diabetes to calculate insulin doses,” said AID Task Force Chairwoman and Endocrine Society member Carol Greenlee, MD. “The AID tools simplify the process of determining whether and how much to adjust the dose so patients can maintain safe blood sugar levels.”
AID is offering the free resources through its website, www.accurateinsulin.org. The Accurate Insulin Decision smartphone app can be downloaded through the iTunes and Android stores at no cost. Print copies of the tools will be mailed to 100,000 primary care physicians nationwide.
The AID program is a joint initiative of the Endocrine Society, American Diabetes Association, American Association of Diabetes Educators, American College of Physicians, American Osteopathic Association, American Pharmacists Association and Diabetes Nation. The program is supported by educational grants from Lilly USA, LLC; Novo Nordisk LLC; and sanofi-aventis U.S.
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Founded in 1916, the Endocrine Society is the world’s oldest, largest and most active organization devoted to research on hormones and the clinical practice of endocrinology. Today, the Endocrine Society’s membership consists of over 17,000 scientists, physicians, educators, nurses and students in more than 100 countries. Society members represent all basic, applied and clinical interests in endocrinology. The Endocrine Society is based in Washington, DC. To learn more about the Society and the field of endocrinology, visit our site at www.endocrine.org. Follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/#!/EndoMedia.
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