Innovation: Adriana app for type 2 diabetes and Mobile Dynamics Platform

Spain

AAI Domains:

• Capacity and enabling environment (use of ICT)

• Independent, healthy and secure living (access to health care services, independent living)

There are increasing number of people living with long-term conditions around Europe and the world. The prevalence of non-communicable diseases such type 2 diabetes and dementia are increasing as the population ages and more people are exposed for longer periods to risk factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, smoking tobacco and excess use of alcohol. The ever growing number of people with long-term conditions places greater demands on health and social care provisions, so it is important to develop social innovations that enable people to self-manage their condition and reduce the number of admissions to hospitals that are costly and can often be prevented.

The use of mobile technology provides great opportunities for tertiary prevention, better self-management and care services for people with a long-term condition such as type 2 diabetes. This needs to be developed if we are to prevent the millions of early deaths that can be attributed to long-term health conditions leading to further complications that cannot be prevented by hospital care.

We live in a world that is becoming ever more closely connected with increasing use of smart mobile technology and the rise of social media and online networks indicators that people want to connect and interact, and it is in this context that Adriana has been developed. Adriana is a mobile app that enables and empowers people with type 2 diabetes to accurately record their biometric health indicators and to upload them to a secure location, the Mobile Dynamics Platform, and to be guided as to what the best course of action is for them at that time.

Adriana was developed in 2015 by the social entrepreneur Frederick Tetard and colleagues at Mobile Dynamics Platform (MDP) in Barcelona. MDP has been rated as the best EU project for integrated care in 2015 showing potential promise to develop a game changing mobile health app. Adriana provides diabetes self-management education and support through the link to the MDP that offers mutual assistance communities and tailored intervention to improve adherence to improve treatment and outcomes.

Initial pilot trials of Adriana showed an 80% approval rate among users and suggested a reduction of 30% in health complications that should cut hospital spending on treating diabetes related ill health by 10%, which amounts to many billions of Euros across the EU, while improving health and well-being for people living with type 2 diabetes.

Adriana and the MDP will enable people to share their experiences and knowledge of self care management of type 2 diabetes and provide medics with high quality diagnostic data to ensure optimal treatment options. It will also provide information for policymakers to enable the development of appropriate care services in the community that are more collaborative between people, health and social care providers and thus effectively use technology to support an independent life.

In relation to the active ageing index, Adriana and the MDP are based on the innovative use of ICT for mobile health. This avenue of social innovation has considerable potential as technology develops and the use of it among the wider public increases. The anticipated effects of the successful use of this mobile technology is to improve access to health care when it is most appropriate and needed for people living with type 2 diabetes.

Adriana provides the means for wider social support for behaviour change through online communities that allow for the exchange of experiences and knowledge between people who share a common condition. It also provides the ability for better self-management of this chronic condition, enabling independent living for people of all ages safe in the knowledge that they can deal with the effects of their condition.

Mobile Dynamics website