“I don’t take insulin anymore,” App helps patients manage diabetes

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/ WMGT)- It’s been nine months since diabetic patients in rural Georgia took part in a program to help check their blood sugar. Navicent Health and Robins Health allowed around 100 patients to try the ConnectWell app.

For some diabetic patients in rural Georgia, where they say healthcare is scarce, Macon is the nearest city for medical treatment. Patients say coming from so far away is sometimes impossible.

Now they can check their diabetes from the palm of their hands.

“It kind of keeps your eye on what you are eating and it keeps an eye on your numbers and you feel like someone is looking at it other than yourself,” Charles Grizzarb, who’s had diabetes for 15-years, said.

“I’ve been a diabetic for the last 20-years. I didn’t know much of anything. What to eat, what not to eat, but having been on this program I know what to eat and when to eat,” Jaenette Cubbage said.

Patients like Grizzarb and Cubbage say they never thought taking a picture of their meals, and taking their blood sugar levels with an app could change their lives. But by using ConnectWell, it has.

“I was in serious trouble. Struggling, struggling, struggling and my nutrition is getting better, better,” Cubbage said.

Family Physician at Navicent Health Gorby Leon says patients still come in every three months. ConnectWell does the thinking for patients, he says. The app gives the patient and doctors a reflection of how they’re doing.

“It’s really geared towards the convenience of that patient. Provided it’s within the working hour business days. Patients reach out to their primary care team, ask for refills, ask for the answers to the questions and the team responds appropriately. With that, adds a convenience factor and motivation because a team is behind them,” Dr. Leon said.

Cubbage says from April of 2017 until February of this year, she started taking insulin after being diabetic for almost 20-years. But since using ConnectWell, she hasn’t needed it since.

“I want to make sure I was eating what I was suppose to and then I’m going to be diabetic-free and that’s what we’re working on. The program has helped so much,” Cubbage said.

Dr. Leon says the app is available in IOS and an Android version, but is not available to the public yet.

Dr. Leon says you can connect with your providers, to know more about ConnectWell.

He says patients don’t start seeing results until they’ve been on the program for about six months.