Kids Rule When It Comes to Mobile Healthcare
Children with Diabetes Lead the World as Trailblazers for real-world Mobile Healthcare Technology – Diabetech® launches GlucoMESSENGER™ nationwide wireless messaging for kids with diabetes.
Dallas, TX (PRWEB) August 2, 2005 –- Kids involved in various clinical
studies around the world have been using wireless technology for managing their
diabetes. They already enjoy the ease of use that comes from wireless
connectivity between glucose sensors and insulin pumps as well as real-time
wireless transmission of glucose meter data for more accurate and efficient
management. Their parents have peace of mind knowing that their child remembered
to check their blood, injected the correct amount of insulin and ate the
appropriate amount of carbohydrates.
Since symptoms of abnormal blood
sugars are not always obvious and crisis may occur rapidly, keeping everyone on
the team on the same page requires a new emphasis on real-time
communication.
Fortunately, for over 200,000 parents in the U.S., they
finally have access now to real-time mobile messaging technology to better aid
their kids with diabetes. Diabetech announces today the availability of the
GlucoMESSENGER™ service nationwide with "Back to School for Kids with Diabetes."
This special offer includes a wireless messaging device, wireless airtime,
diabetes savvy customer support and a lower cost alternative or enhancement to
cellular phone service.
School age children typically spend up to a third
of most days of their entire young lives away from their parents. When that
child has type 1 diabetes, it's no wonder that families have a difficult time
managing their kid's complex regimen of multiple daily blood glucose
finger-sticks, multiple insulin injections, measured food intake, monitored
exercise, and diligent record keeping to facilitate review, corrective action
and optimal control.
As part of our GlucoDYNAMIX™ diabetes intervention
system development, patients using our devices have developed a common language
for communicating diabetes information using diabetes short code abbreviations.
GlucoMESSENGER diabetes text messaging makes keeping everyone on the same page
discreet, simple and affordable without the disruption caused by talking on the
phone. This year, kids will quietly send diabetes short code messages via the
Communicator mobile device to their parent's cell phones and email. In addition,
parents can reply to their kid's messages by text message or by calling the
school. Best of all, parents can message their kids directly instead of calling
a cell phone to deliver quiet advice imparting knowledge and making special
requests.
The Communicator is easier to use than cell phones due to its
full keyboard and safer too thanks to a special Diabetech configuration for kids
which prohibits Internet news feeds. Motorola manufactures the
device.
Managing diabetes at school has garnered national attention
lately following the passage of new legislation in Texas requiring each school
to train diabetes care assistants who will in turn assist children in caring for
their diabetes. Texas follows 10 other states, which have passed similar
legislation. The goal of these new laws is to prevent serious short-term
complications including seizures, coma and sometimes death as well as
longer-term complications including kidney failure, nerve damage, loss of
eyesight and more. The new Diabetes Care guidelines just recently published by
the Texas Diabetes Council (TDC) can be found online at http://www.tdh.state.tx.us/diabetes/PDF/HB984.pdf or go to the
homepage for the TDC at http://www.texasdiabetescouncil.org
School nurses in
Texas will be recommending GlucoMESSENGER to parents of kids with type 1
diabetes as part of the toolkit for diabetes care at school and at school
sponsored functions. Now parents have an easy way to stay informed without
depending too heavily on already overburdened school personnel. As a result,
many families have opted in the past for a cell phone for their child. However,
in many schools, cell phones have been banned due to the disruption caused by
noisy conversations and the invasion of privacy brought on by camera phone
indiscretions.
The GlucoMESSENGER Back to School with Diabetes special
is our most affordable service at $199.95 for an entire 6 months including
everything you need. After the initial six-month start-up, monthly service can
be had for just $14.95/mo. GlucoMESSENGER is compatible with all glucose meters
and insulin pumps. The Back to School offer includes the real-time Communicator
device and wireless service and can be purchased by going to our online store www.diabetech.net
or calling our toll free number. No activation fees or contracts
required.
GlucoPALS™ - Diabetes Training Partners Study
Text messaging
has already demonstrated its value in managing type 1 diabetes. In a study
conducted by Dr. Lori Laffel at the Joslin Diabetes Center, reminders to the
child's cell phone had the beneficial effect of more frequent blood sugar checks
as compared to kids who had reminders sent to their PC-based
email.
Diabetech is taking that study one step further by offering to
pair kids who have a friend with diabetes as their "GlucoPAL". Simply put, kids
may be able to motivate each other when they work together as training partners
to gain better control of their diabetes. Diabetech is currently recruiting a
limited number of participants for the GlucoPALS study. Participation in this
study requires parental consent and a GlucoMESSENGER subscription.
About
Diabetech
Diabetech is an award winning diabetes technology company based in
downtown Dallas, Texas. Diabetech manufactures wireless medical devices,
operates service provider infrastructure, accelerates scientific predictive
metabolic algorithm research and delivers a fully managed real time clinical
management service. With simplicity at the core of our system design principles,
Diabetech enables real-time diabetes intervention. For more information on the
company, please visit www.diabetech.net
Diabetech is a registered trademark
of Diabetech, LP. GlucoMESSENGER, GlucoMON and GlucoDYNAMIX are trademarks of
Diabetech, LP. All other trademarks are the property of their registered owners.
The GlucoMON device is presently in use supporting approved hospital studies as
a pre-510k FDA regulated Class 2 medical device.
Contact:
Kevin
McMahon
877-694-5826
e-mail protected from spam bots
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/8/prweb268233.htm