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DMCoach app aims to really engage citizens with diabetes to take care of their own health
DMCoach app aims to really engage citizens with diabetes to take care of their own health
DMCoach system

Health paradox: over 1,100 diabetes apps are available for iOS and Android in 27 countries, yet only 1.2% of patients with diabetes that have a smartphone use a diabetes app

The DMCoach app project led by Engineering, in partnership with Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) and IMEC and coordinated and supported by EIT Digital, plans to change the game for high risk populations and type 2 diabetics.

EIT Digital's mission is to drive and lead Europe's digital transformation, with positive impacts on society. "When we invest in innovation activities, we take extra care to back projects that have a real impact on people's lives," explains Johan Kortas, Digital Wellbeing Action Line Leader at EIT Digital. "This is why we're supporting the innovation activity for the DM Coach app. The app aims to make a real difference with its genuine engagement approach."

Diabetes Mellitus is a disease that affects 60 million people in Europe, with 87-91% having type 2. They are treated by clinicians in traditional ways, such as medical examinations, in-person training in dedicated centres and ad hoc information and advice.

The DMCoach team is developing a solution that supports type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients with personalised guidance. It helps people to understand how to manage their diabetes better, supports their communication with their clinican, monitors key disease parameters and keeps them informed about recommended healthy behaviour for them and what to avoid. "Patient engagement is key in illness prevention", explains Matteo Melideo, Research and Development Manager at Engineering Ingegneria Informatica SpA and Activity/ Business Champion Lead of the DMCoach app project. "What's the point of creating apps if they are not used by the right people and don't provide positive impact? With our app, we are aiming to avoid the exacerbation of T2DM, reduce a surge of diabetes causing chronic diseases and of course optimise the treatment burden on health care systems and reduce social costs".

What makes DMCoach app different and competitive:

  • Easy log-in and sharing of information between patient and clinician
  • Personalised coaching based on the patient's key parameters and lifestyle
  • Adaptive user interaction based on the patient's readiness to change
  • Human-touch guaranteed by the input of the clinical supervisor
  • Clinicians can send customised messages and personalise the patient's goals and thresholds
  • The app can connect with unobtrusive wearable devices to measure activity, stress, heart rate, etc.

According to medical guidelines, patient empowerment should reduce the exacerbation of T2DM and all the correlated risks.

Target markets

  • Healthcare facilities and institutions that want to track patients remotely, giving them continuous support and personalised coaching
  • Italy initially and then Serbia, Germany and the Netherlands.

Roadmap for 2018

  • Finalising of the patient app suite
  • User testing and clinical validation
  • Medical device class 1 certification

DMCoach app outcomes

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Co-Funded by the European Union