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. 2018 Jan 9;3(1):e1.
doi: 10.2196/diabetes.9143.

Health Care Professionals' Clinical Perspectives on Glycemic Control and Satisfaction With a New Blood Glucose Meter With a Color Range Indicator: Online Evaluation in India, Russia, China, and the United States

Mike Grady  1 , Laurence Barry Katz  2 , Pamela Anderson  3 , Brian Leonard Levy  2
Affiliations

Health Care Professionals' Clinical Perspectives on Glycemic Control and Satisfaction With a New Blood Glucose Meter With a Color Range Indicator: Online Evaluation in India, Russia, China, and the United States

Mike Grady et al. JMIR Diabetes. .

Abstract

Background: We previously demonstrated in patients with diabetes that displaying blood glucose results in association with color improved their ability to interpret glucose results.

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the perceptions of health care professionals (HCPs) in specific countries about the value of color on a new glucose meter and to determine if HCP perspectives among countries differ on the value of this approach in clinical practice.

Methods: A total of 180 HCPs, including 105 endocrinologists, 34 primary care physicians, 25 diabetes educators, and 16 pharmacists, were recruited from India (n=50), Russia (n=50), China (n=50), and the United States (n=30). These HCPs experienced the OneTouch Select Plus Simple glucose meter online from their own office computer using interactive demonstrations (webpages, meter simulator, and video clips). After providing demographic and current clinical practice insights, HCPs responded to questions about the utility of the color-enhanced glucose meter.

Results: Mean age and years in their current professional role for the 180 HCPs was 41.3 (SD 8.1) and 13.3 (SD 6.8) years for endocrinologists, 41.3 (SD 8.3) and 14.1 (SD 6.8) years for primary care physicians, 37.5 (SD 8.7) and 12.7 (SD 6.8) years for diabetes educators, and 35.9 (SD 5.3) and 9.5 (SD 5.2) years for pharmacists. In all, 88% (44/50) of Russian and 83% (25/30) of American HCPs said their patients find it easy to recognize low, in-range, or high blood glucose results compared to 56% (28/50) of HCPs in China and 42% (21/50) in India. Regardless of country, HCPs had less confidence that their patients act on blood glucose results with 52% (26/50) in Russia, 63% (19/30) in the United States, 60% (30/50) in China, and 40% (20/50) in India responding positively. During the interactive online meter experience, HCPs from all countries responded positively to questions about a meter with color features. After reflecting on the value of this meter, most HCPs strongly agreed or agreed their patients would be more inclined to act on results using a meter with color features (Russia: 92%, 46/50; United States: 70%, 21/30; China: 98%, 49/50; India: 94%, 47/50). They also said that color was particularly useful for patients with lower numeracy or education who may struggle with interpreting results (Russia: 98%, 49/50; United States: 77%, 23/30; China: 100%, 50/50; India: 82%, 41/50).

Conclusions: This multicountry online study provides evidence that HCPs had high overall satisfaction with the OneTouch Select Plus glucose meter, which uses color-coded information to assist patients with interpreting blood glucose results. This may be especially helpful in patient populations with low numeracy or literacy and limited access to health care and direct interaction with HCPs.

Keywords: blood glucose meter; color range indicator; health care professionals; self-monitoring of blood glucose.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: MG is an employee of LifeScan Scotland, Ltd. LBK and BLL are employees of LifeScan, Inc.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
OneTouch Select Plus Simple blood glucose monitoring system components. An arrow pointing to the color bar on the meter casing indicates if the current blood glucose result is low (blue bar), in range (green bar), or high (red bar) to a target blood glucose range. The system uses OneTouch Select Plus blood glucose test strips and Delica lancing devices and contains a reference information card in the system kit that has space for health care professionals to write instructions and advice to their patients.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Methodology for the online health care professional (HCP) study. The HCPs interacted with webpages online describing features of the OneTouch Select Plus Simple, a reference card that was contained in the meter kit, an interactive simulation of use of the meter, and an online video demonstrating the proper use and features of the meter.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Response to prestudy clinical practice questions from 180 health care professionals (50 each from Russia, India, and China, and 30 from the United States). Responses are the top two positive responses (1 or 2) on a five-point scale for each question corresponding to (A) very confident or confident, (B) every time or most times, (C) very easy or easy, and (D) very aware or aware.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Response to clinical practice questions from 180 health care professionals after online experiences with a glucose meter with ColorSure (50 each from Russia, India, and China, and 30 from the United States). Responses are the top two positive responses (1 or 2) on a five-point scale for each question corresponding to (A) very beneficial or beneficial and (B and C) strongly agree or agree.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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