Why SmartStart Built a Mobile-First, Interactive Educational Platform for People with T1D

“SmartStart is putting user education about continuous glucose monitoring on your phone,” says Melissa Holloway, the CEO & Founder of SmartStart, a member of StartUp Health's Type 1 Diabetes Moonshot Community.
In this interview at the recent ADA Scientific Sessions, Holloway discusses the innovative approach her company takes to educate users about continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) through mobile technology. She highlights the challenges faced by diabetes patients and the importance of providing accessible, user-friendly education to improve diabetes management and outcomes.
📱 Mobile User Education: SmartStart focuses on delivering education about continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) through mobile devices, making it accessible and convenient for users.
💡 Addressing a Gap: Melissa explains that while CGM technology has advanced, the education about how to use it effectively has lagged, often relying on face-to-face interactions, which are limited by the shortage of diabetes care professionals.
🏆 Selected for ADA Presentation: Holloway was honored to present a poster at the American Diabetes Association (ADA) annual meeting, showcasing the impact and innovation of SmartStart's educational platform.
💬 Community Insights: Holloway, who has lived with Type 1 diabetes for 30 years, draws insights from online communities like Facebook groups to understand the common challenges and questions users have about CGM.
🧪 Research and Results: SmartStart conducted a proof-of-concept study with 20 patients, showing that knowledge scores doubled, and significant improvements in time-in-range metrics were observed after using their educational modules.
🧠 Behavioral Changes: The educational content focuses on helping users understand and adapt their behaviors to maximize the benefits of their CGM and automated insulin delivery systems.
📊 Innovative Approach: SmartStart uses storytelling and interactive quizzes to engage users, helping them understand and manage their diabetes more effectively.
🌐 Future Plans: Holloway is excited about incorporating adaptive learning and machine learning algorithms to tailor education to individual users' needs and treatment plans.
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