diabetes tech

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Happy Birthday Dexcom & Updates to the Dexcom G6 iOS App

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This year, Dexcom (founded in 1999) celebrates its 20th birthday! Over 20 years, Dexcom has brought us groundbreaking technology, and there are many changes, including growth and expansion, on the horizon. Read more at the Diabetes Mine blog "Dexcom Hits 20-Year Birthday with Exciting New Tech, Corporate Restructuring." According to the Diabetes Mine article, these are the...

Six New Changes to the Dexcom G6 App for Apple

  1. Siri Assist – You can now ask Siri to read Dexcom G6 glucose readings aloud and display graphs directly on the lock screen.

  2. More Followers – With an expanded Dexcom SHARE function, you can now share glucose readings with up to 10 people (in the past the max was five).

  3. 24-hour Sensor Expiration Reminder – The app now offers an automatic 24-hour reminder before it’s time to replace a sensor, in addition to the existing 2-hour and 6-hour reminders.

  4. CLARITY App at Your Fingertips – You can now launch the Dexcom CLARITY app directly from the Dexcom G6 app for more retrospective glucose reports, rather than having to exit the G6 app and go into the separate CLARITY app.

  5. Extra Integration – They've also added a feature allowing Google Fit to display Dexcom G6 data on a three-hour delay (this lag is a regulatory hurdle being discussed with FDA).

  6. Apple Watch Feature – Users can also add an icon to check their glucose level when customizing the face of their Apple Watch Series 4. Unfortunately, Dexcom doesn't yet allow for direct-to-watch functionality; you still need the smartphone as the middleman between the CGM and Apple Watch.

Learn more about Dexcom CGM here.

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New Slimmer, Low-Cost CGM Coming from Dexcom & Verily

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The sensor on the left is the Dexcom G6 CGM, and the sensor on the right is their new CGM, expected in about two years. This new device was previously described as "the thinnest CGM ever."

The sensor on the left is the Dexcom G6 CGM, and the sensor on the right is their new CGM, expected in about two years. This new device was previously described as "the thinnest CGM ever."

Dexcom plans to bring a new, lower cost, slimmer, disposable continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to market in 2020/2021 in partnership with Verily. Notable features of the new CGM will include:

  • Significantly lower cost - for greater accessibility

  • Fully disposable with no separate transmitter - after sensor wear is complete, the entire piece is thrown out and replaced

  • No fingersticks - like the Dexcom G6

  • Extended wear - approximately 14 days

  • Sends data straight to Smartphone - via Bluetooth

This information came from the diaTribe blog. According to diaTribe, "This sensor will be made widely available to people with diabetes who are on intensive insulin therapy (pumps or multiple daily injections) and those with type 2 diabetes on pills or no medication."

This is an exciting technology to look forward to for better diabetes management for more people. We'll keep you in the loop as more news emerges from Dexcom. To learn more about CGM options available today, call us at 866.779.8512, Option 2.

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New Technology: Offering the Contour Next ONE Smart Meter

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contour-one-glucose-meter.png

The blood glucose meter is one of the most important technologies to help people with diabetes manage their disease. Many of the patients we serve, particularly those using a Medtronic insulin pump, use Contour Next test strips to test their blood glucose levels. To accompany this type of test strip, we now provide the Contour Next ONE  smart meter for blood glucose monitoring. This meter is wireless and has an app for managing data from readings on a smart phone. Approved by the FDA in 2016, the Ascensia Contour Next ONE is the latest in the line of Contour meters from the company formerly known as Bayer.

Read a full, insightful review of the Contour Next ONE by dTech Diabetes Mine blogger Mike Hoskins. Hoskins notes these features and changes in the Contour Next ONE:

  • Sleeker and slimmer design
  • New screen, changed from color to black & white
  • Watch battery, instead of a rechargeable USB
  • Port light to illuminate the spot where the test strip is inserted
  • Target lights to indicate the range of your reading
  • Second-chance sampling, with a 60-second time window
  • Improved accuracy
  • Bluetooth to sync with the mobile app
  • Ability to share diabetes data through the app

To find out more about the Contour Next ONE smart meter and other diabetes technology, contact us at 866.779.8512 (phone) or 248.577.9903 (text).

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Exciting Diabetes Technology Is Emerging for 2018

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dexcom G6.png

We are hearing really great news about new diabetes technology becoming available in 2018. This September, Dexcom submitted its G6 continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) sensor for approval with the FDA, and a U.S. launch is expected sometime in 2018. This sensor will most likely allow for longer wear and will require only one fingerstick calibration per day. It also features a thinner transmitter and a redesigned one-button inserter. Dexcom is also suggesting that a no-calibration-needed version of the G6 could be available by the end of 2018. Learn more about the updated sensor at both of these links:

We’re excited about this and other near-future technological advancements in diabetes tech – including the flash glucose monitoring system from Abbot, the possible launch of a Medtronic standalone CGM, and much more. More options give providers and patients more choices for managing diabetes – and that is something we’re all excited about!

We love to help!