Innovation and technology have transformed the lives of patients with diabetes.
Diabetes was first documented as a condition in 1500 BC, in 1869 Paul Langerhans described the islet cells of the pancreas and in 1921 Frederick Banting and Charles Best discover insulin. Since then:
- 1969 the first portable blood glucose meter was introduced,
- 1998 the first insulin pumps to be introduced,
- 2002 continuous glucose monitors become widely available.
- 2013 live remote tracking of CGM data
Technology has transformed the lives of diabetics making it possible to manage the condition. Improving connectivity and integrating technologies has the potential to further improve care. Mobile health (mHealth) solutions can help healthcare providers deliver better, more consistent, coordinated and more efficient healthcare, where and how it is needed, increase access to health services to remote or under-served communities, and empower individuals to manage their own health more proactively and effectively.
The mHealth Grand Tour is working with researchers, medical technology companies, mobile operators and people with diabetes to better understand how technology can best be applied to support patients and to demonstrate the value of technology to diabetes healthcare professionals, health regulators and other stakeholders.
