Reviewing U.S. Connected Diabetes Care: The Newest Member of the Team

Recent years have brought about an explosion in the number of companies offering connected diabetes care products, defined as digital diabetes management systems based around (1) smartphone apps, (2) devices with built-in connectivity, and (3) remote human and automated coaching and support. These nascent models aim to provide more continuous and on-demand care, aligning with the 24/7 demands of chronic disease. It has been enabled by multiple factors, including the rising use of connected devices and apps to help people manage their chronic conditions, growing appreciation for the importance of outcomes beyond A1c, and the lofty and growing cost of health care. Despite the potential of these programs to improve the outcomes and well-being of people with diabetes and reduce the burdens on health care providers and systems, awareness and use of these programs and approaches remain low in the medical community. In this article, we present a snapshot of this dynamic field, including a taxonomy of various connected diabetes care products available to employers, health plans, health systems, and people with diabetes in the United States, and we identify meaningful distinctions among them: (1) health conditions managed, (2) peer support interactions, (3) prescribing providers on the care team, (4) provision of connected medical devices and/or continuous glucose monitors, (5) degree of treatment personalization, and (6) clinical and real-world evidence. We also discuss broad trends in connected diabetes care. Given the urgency and scale of the diabetes epidemic, it is vital that a range of medical and clinical communities find meaningful ways to scale individualized, timely care under reimbursement models that better align incentives for various stakeholders, particularly health care providers themselves. This would not only address deficiencies in care but could also make diabetes care more attractive to future clinicians.