The global health crisis of Type 2 diabetes is spiralling rapidly out of control. The consequent drain on health economies around the world is enormous; direct and indirect costs of diabetes in the UK alone have reached a staggering £23.7 billion per year. At current trends, that figure will have risen to £39.8 billion by 2035-36.
There’s an obvious solution: empowering people with the tools and the knowledge they need to make big changes to their lifestyles and prevent, manage or even reverse the condition. The NHS does provide structured education programmes for people with Type 2 diabetes, but they’re not working. Current uptake languishes at around 7% of patients diagnosed.
Which is why Changing Health, a global HealthTech top 100 innovator company, devised a new approach. It combines one-to-one sessions with expert behavioural coaches with strongly evidence-based digital education, available anytime, anywhere.
Instant access keeps patients from becoming disengaged and dropping off the system, while a digital, one-click referral system reduces GPs’ admin burden and frees up time. The outcomes are significant: the most recent trial accounted for a 529% increase in education uptake in 14 days, transforming the referral process for one GP practice in Waltham Forest, London.
A CCG delivering Changing Health to just 600 patients could save in the region of £100,000 per year by dramatically improving diabetes health outcomes. Changing Health users see an average 6.8mmol.mol reduction in HbA1c thanks to an average 7.4kg weight loss, and as a result, need fewer prescribed medications, attend GP surgeries and A&E less often, and no longer require face-to-face education programmes. One user recently reversed her diabetes entirely over 12 weeks, and is now medication free.
“Changing Health demonstrates true innovation and the opportunity to disrupt the delivery of healthcare at scale”, said Matthew Driver, Managing Editor of the Journal of mHealth. Dr Tony Willis, meanwhile, Clinical Director for Diabetes at the North West London Collaboration of CCGs, said education programmes delivered by Changing Health in his area have seen a much higher response rate than existing solutions. “There’s been a very positive response among all demographics, especially older people,” he said. “Digital behaviour change interventions can be very effective for people”.
The case for change is clear: digital offers a low-risk, high-value way of helping people with diabetes to better manage their condition – or in some cases reverse it – with a whole host of benefits for patient and healthcare provider alike.
Discover how your patients could benefit, visit www.changinghealth.com
