In 2014, diabetes took 4.9 million lives worldwide. That’s one death every seven seconds.
November 14 is World Diabetes Day, a 24 hour block dedicated to raising awareness for this disease, however, fundraising lasts yearlong. Soon the Tour De Cure, a series of fundraising cycling events, will take place in the United States. SAP has two teams participating—one on each coast. If you want to support this great cause and have some fun, check out the Tour De Cure website and look for a team in your area.
A Worldwide Concern
This infographic by idf.org outlines the impact of diabetes by continent. The complete chart shows that 52 million Europeans are living with diabetes. In Germany alone, there are 6 to 8 million documented cases and the number is projected to grow.
Type 1 and Type 2
Diabetes occurs in two different types: 1 and 2, and they are both equally as deadly. In type 1 diabetes, the body’s immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Without insulin to normalize blood sugars, the body can suffer in many ways including damaged eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart disease (diabetesresearch.org).
Type 2 occurs when a body fails to use insulin properly, usually triggered by an unhealthy lifestyle. At first, the pancreas over produces insulin to regulate blood glucose levels, but over time, the pancreas exhausts, and without lifestyle changes, oral medications, and insulin, type 2 diabetes can grow more severe. Type 2 diabetes is a major cause of heart attack and stroke.
New Preventative Connected Care Offering
With increased exercise and a conscience diet, Type 2 diabetes can be managed and even reversed. German-based Roche Diagnostics is dedicated to driving personalized and preventative medicine, and with the severity of diabetes on the forefront of focus, Roche, in partnership with SAP, created new preventative care package. The bundle, called Accu-Chek View, includes a blood glucose monitor, a wearable fitness tracker, and an app developed by SAP that are all integrated together.
With Accu-CheckView, the patient can monitor glucose levels at home and transmit the information to the doctor’s office via the app. All data transferred is securely stored and processed via the SAP HANA Cloud Platform.
Crafted to Satisfy Doctor and Patient
This app is targeted to meet the individual needs of both patients and doctors. Because the patient’s vital signs and blood sugar level can be watched in relation to their physical activity level, in real-time, the doctor can monitor the patient remotely, and the patient can communicate with the doctor’s office. This eliminates unnecessary trips to the physician, saving time and money. In 2014, the global diabetes expenditure reached US $612 billion. In the future, with connected care offerings like Accu-ChekView, this number will hopefully decrease.
In addition, the strengthened patient-doctor relationship created by the app facilitates a supportive and empowering psychological effect on patients. For instance, slip-ups in lifestyle can be caught quickly because the app will red-flag the issue, the doctor can intervene, and the doctor and patient can work on solutions together.
Learn more about the app by watching this video interview:
Importance of Healthy Living
Even pre-diabetics can benefit from this preventative care app. By using the app to detect the early signs of diabetes, individuals can make the changes necessary to live a normal life.
This Wednesday April 29th, Dr. Oliver Haferbeck, Head of Diabetes Care at Roche Diagnostics will be part of a live panel on the Coffee Break with Game Changers Radio. Listen to the discussion titled, MD in the Palm of your Hand – Connected Care, and tune in live at 11 AM EST. You can also follow the conversation on Twitter via #SAPRadio.
Learn more about Roche Diagnostics and its journey with SAP by clicking here.
To learn more about SAP and its dedication to improving healthcare, take a look at this infographic.
To learn how SAP HANA Cloud Platform can impact your business, click here.
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