Diabetes Mobile Health Solution Saves Employer $3,300 per Patient Annually

WASHINGTON - Dec. 10, 2013 - PRLog -- Telcare, Inc. (http://www.telcare.com/), a mobile health solution for monitoring diabetes has now been associated with a $3,300 per person annual reduction in employee healthcare costs. Moreover, these savings represent more than five times the cost of implementing the monitoring program, which is an unprecedented return on investment in the employee health and disease management world.

The savings for employers stem from reduced hospital and emergency care among employees with diabetes who participated in the program, as compared to similar employees who did not participate. Related studies show that the program also doubles patients’ adherence to blood sugar testing, leading to increased control over the disease. These results have been observed across a variety of sites of care, including traditional medical practices, employer-sponsored health plans, large Health Maintenance Organizations, and Medicare- and Medicaid-managed care plans.

Telcare, Inc., a Bethesda, MD-based company, launched the diabetes monitoring solution in February 2012 in conjunction with ActiveCare, Inc (http://www.activecare.com/)., based in Orem, UT. The solution combines a cellular-enabled blood glucose meter with a disease management server and coaching via telephone, creating a network of care composed of physicians, diabetes educators, and loved ones for the patient with diabetes.

These findings were presented at the National mHealth Summit in Washington, DC, by Professor Jonathan C. Javitt, M.D., M.P.H., a physician, health technologist, and health economist. Dr. Javitt, founder and CEO of Telcare, Inc., previously served as a healthcare advisor in the Executive Office of the President under Presidents Clinton and Bush and is one of the early pioneers in the use of wireless medical devices.

“This finding is one of the few bright spots at a time when most Americans are terrified by the rapid increase in healthcare costs,” said Dr. Javitt. “These results, if they can be replicated and extended over time, suggest that it is possible to use technology to provide more care for more people at lower cost, while also reducing the impact of chronic illness such as diabetes on patients and their families. We spend 70 percent of our healthcare dollars on the care of chronic disease, and technology is the best way to alleviate the burden of complications associated with such illnesses.”

The Telcare Blood Glucose MeterÒ is the first FDA-cleared device to include embedded cellular transmission capability, so that glucose readings are transmitted automatically to the “cloud” in a privacy-protected manner. Unlike smartphone-based solutions, the patients do not need to complete additional steps to submit readings. Most importantly, as soon as the readings get sent to the cloud, patients receive feedback and guidance based on their results, helping them to better manage their condition.

While Telcare’s monitoring program is not the first attempt to connect patients with their doctors and other caregivers using cellular technology, it may be the first to do so and deliver improved outcomes without adding additional cost and complexity to an already overburdened healthcare system. The solution is offered at prices comparable to those paid by commercial insurers for traditional glucose meters and test strips, and does not require a cellphone contract of any kind.

This hardware technology is paired with ActiveCare’s proprietary data analytics, real-time biometrics analysis, and 24/7 monitoring and care services. The combined solution provides unique visibility to the status of every patient. Finally, the technology piece is complemented with a network of compassionate, medically astute diabetes coaches, who can target those patients who need engagement and encouragement from someone to whom they can relate.

“Having the insight made possible by the Telcare / ActiveCare technologies has made it possible to have a truly effective interaction with our members,” notes Michael Jones, Chief Strategy Officer of ActiveCare. “The technology, applied with understanding and empathy for the unique challenges of diabetes, enables us to positively affect the quality of life as well as reduce the cost of care.”

About Telcare

Telcare uses award-winning cellular machine-to-machine technology to bridge the last mile between patients and their caregivers in order to improve the care of chronic illness. Telcare’s first product is the Telcare BGM^®, a cellular-enabled blood glucose meter for patients with diabetes. In addition to directly reducing the cost of care by improving outcomes and preventing complications, Telcare creates an ecosystem of care that provides caregivers and disease managers with previously unavailable actionable clinical data. Telcare is a privately-held company funded by the Qualcomm Life Fund, Sequoia Capital, and founding investors. For more information, visit www.telcare.com.

About ActiveCare

ActiveCare, Inc. provides patented diabetes and chronic disease management and wellness solutions that increase visibility, lower costs and provide real-time care for members resulting in improved outcomes. Utilizing state-of-the-art meters with embedded cellular technology, highly-trained Care Specialists can intervene in real-time and provide members with the support needed to control their disease 24 hours a day, every day. Headquartered in Orem, Utah, and publicly-traded on the OTC Bulletin Board under symbol ACAR, ActiveCare’s solution is revolutionizing the way employers, individuals, and their health plans monitor chronic disease. To learn more about ActiveCare, Inc., visit www.activecare.com.