LIVINGLIVING
KIT
REPORT
APP UPDATE
Newer, smarter app for Contour Next One users
T
here is now a newer,
smarter app that works
with Ascensia's Contour
Next One blood test
meter. An update on
the existing app - and available for free
from both Apple's App Store as well as
in an Android version from GooglePlay
- it has several new features that help
interpret blood test results in order to
help users gain more from the tests
they have already taken. Feedback on
the earlier version of the app has been
incorporated from users.
The latest version of the app can
recognise 14 different patterns and
includes 11 different structured testing
plans. The My Patterns feature identifies
patterns in blood glucose results that
could affect the health of people with
diabetes, prompts them to think about the
causes, and offers easy-to-follow advice
and helpful reminders.
Ros Barker, Country Head UK and
Ireland for Ascensia Diabetes Care, says
of the newly upgraded tool, "This latest
upgrade to the Contour Diabetes app
provides patients with a smarter tool that
can help to make the self-management of
their diabetes easier. We are very excited
to be able to bring this new innovation
to people with diabetes. At Ascensia we
are listening to feedback from people
with diabetes about their needs, and
are continuing to invest in the further
development of the Contour Diabetes
app, so that we can provide solutions that
make diabetes self-management better,
easier and smarter."
In this version of the app, Blood Sugar
Reports show a summary report as well
as added patterns information. Within
the Blood Sugar Diary section, which
is similar to a logbook but which goes
beyond simply listing results, you can
see blood glucose results but also carb
and insulin values that you have inputted
but in a way that can aid self-discovery
of patterns and trends for as long as a
3-month period, one page per week. Data
can be easily exported as a .csv file and
can therefore be viewed on a multiple
platform or imported into a spreadsheet.
The app has been developed with
the input of Dr Bill Fisher, a Canadian
psychologist who has studied the science
of behavior and proposed an 'information,
motivation and behavior skills model for
chronic diseases' which has been applied
to diabetes. The three key elements -
information, motivation and behavioural
skills - can help people with diabetes to
make the best use of blood testing and
improve their self-management, possibly
leading to a reduction in HbA1c levels
(given time, studies of the use of this app
to improve control are likely to prove this).
Says Barker, "It's the ongoing nature
of interacting with the app that can
lead to behaviour changes and health
improvements. The app will continue to
evolve in the future to include additional
patterns and testing plans, as well as
adding new features and functionality."
www.contournextone.co.uk
www.contournextone.ie
The updated app can track
patterns and you can chose to
'learn more' if you wish. It can
also suggest possible causes
for patterns, which can lead to
behavioural changes.