How technology can help you better manage diabetes

Diabetes is one of the most challenging diseases confronting Australia’s health system today. Unfortunately, it’s one of the most common too. 

But there’s good news: the right technology and support makes managing diabetes a lot easier for you and your carer(s). You can do more than just survive with diabetes - you can thrive with it too. 

Read on to discover some diabetes tech tips and come see us at the Diabetes Online Expo 2021.

Living with diabetes? You’re not alone

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) estimates that around 1.2 million Aussies have diabetes type 1 or diabetes type 2. Other estimates by Diabetes Australia put the number as high as 1.7 million. The bottom line is that diabetes is widespread in our community; one person develops diabetes symptoms every five minutes. 

Tech tips for managing your diabetes 

Everyone manages their diabetes differently. How you manage your diabetes symptoms depends on the type you have, as well as other health and lifestyle factors. 

However, whether you have type 1, type 2 or gestational diabetes, technology can help you stay on top of things like your diabetes medication, insulin, diabetes tests and more. 

How MedAdvisor helps you manage diabetes

Apps like MedAdvisor are a game changer for people with diabetes. Here’s how: 

• It helps you track and manage your diabetes medication. Staying on top of your medication is incredibly important, especially if you have type 1 diabetes and take insulin every day. You can add your prescription medications to the MedAdvisor app and it’ll remind you when to take them, and when you’re running low and need a refill.
  
• It keeps track of other essential items like diabetes test strips, lancets, pen needles/syringes, pump consumables, etc. - and it lets you know when you’re running low on supplies.
  
• It takes the effort out of managing multiple prescriptions. You can add your prescriptions (and eScripts) and send them directly to your pharmacist via the MedAdvisor app, and easily order repeats.

Tech makes it easier to manage your diabetes
Living with diabetes often means adhering to a strict management plan that requires multiple prescription medications, supporting devices and consumable items. Having these things tracked and orderable in an app means you can spend less time thinking about your diabetes, and more time doing the things you love. 

It also means that you’re less likely to forget, lose or mix up your medications, which can have potentially life-threatening impacts and make your diabetes harder to manage. 

“MedAdvisor has helped me get my HbA1c down from 9.7 to 6.1 by reminding me to take my insulin on time, and check my blood glucose level (BGL) during my busy day. It is so easy to use. This app has extended my life.” - Paul

Tech also makes life easier for carers, who play a big role in helping their loved ones manage their diabetes. Slade, a design engineer and diabetic, says that the Carer Mode feature in the MedAdvisor app gives his wife peace of mind as she knows he’s not going to run out of his diabetes medication:

“I am a Design Engineer who owns a rapidly growing and very busy engineering practice. MedAdvisor means that I do not have to think about my scripts and when I need repeats to manage a potentially debilitating chronic condition (diabetes). In addition, my wife, who uses the Carer Mode, is able to monitor and make sure I have the required medication to manage my condition.” - Slade

Lastly, apps like MedAdvisor make it easier to navigate the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS). If you’re a MedAdvisor user, your NDSS items sit on your home screen alongside your prescriptions - you can enter your NDSS number and track everything in the app. 

Tech makes life easier for your pharmacists, too

Your pharmacist plays an important role in your diabetes management, and apps like MedAdvisor take a lot of the hassle and paperwork out of their job. For example: 

• Features like reordering make it easy for pharmacists to quickly and efficiently fill your scripts and get your medications to you.
  
• Being able to order NDSS items through MedAdvisor makes it easier for pharmacists to navigate complex claims forms, and better manage their stock levels so that you don’t have to make multiple pharmacy visits, and they don’t have to hold excess stock. 

By using technology to manage your diabetes medication (as well as consumables and NDSS items), you’re making it easier for your pharmacist to provide you with the best, most convenient service.

“I have multiple prescriptions which are difficult to manage. MedAdvisor allows me to order all the outstanding items from home at any time...and communicate with the pharmacist for access to diabetes items like needles and strips. It makes it much easier for both myself and my pharmacist.” - Felicity 

How to start using technology to manage your diabetes

Using technology to manage your diabetes medications and symptoms can make a huge difference in your life, and in your carers and pharmacists lives too. It takes the hassle and complexity out of managing multiple prescriptions, and makes sure you’re taking your diabetes medication and BGL/diabetes test regularly and on time. 

Getting started with it is easy - all you have to do is download the MedAdvisor app and start adding your information. Check out the tutorials if you need help, and connect with us at the Diabetes Online Expo 2021 to learn more about how tech supports people living with diabetes.