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Abbott FreeStyle Libre system to integrate with Omada Health app

FreeStyle Libre's glucose readings, trends and patterns will all be incorporated into Omada's app.
By Laura Lovett
04:18 pm
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This morning med tech giant Abbott announced a new deal with chronic care management company Omada Health that will integrate Abbott’s FreeStyle Libre continuous glucose monitor (CGM) with Omada's health coaching platform. 

Going forward, eligible users with Type 2 diabetes will have the option to integrate data from their FreeStyle Libre, including glucose reading, trends and patterns, with Omada’s platform. When users enroll in the program, they can access a virtual physician, who can prescribe them the CGM. 

Through the Omada interface, users can get personalized behavior coaching to improve their glucose management. Users also have access to text- and chat-based coaching with a certified diabetes educator.

"The biggest barriers to success for T2D participants has always been immediate access to a diabetes educator when they need it most and a lack of accurate glucose and nutrition data so that we can personalize treatment," Sean Duffy, CEO of Omada, wrote in an email to MobiHealthNews. "With this collaboration, participants will now be able to track progress and receive proactive, tailored recommendations from their assigned certified diabetes educator (CDE) coaches."

WHY IT MATTERS 

More than one in three adults in the U.S. have prediabetes, according to the CDC. Moreover, currently over 30 million people in the country are living with diabetes, the agency states. The condition can lead to other health issues including amputations, blindness and kidney disease. However, a healthy diet and weight loss often help manage the condition. Today, many technologies are angling to help people manage the condition by providing insights and coaching.

Also worth noting is the prevalence of the FreeStyle Libre system, which Abbott said over the summer is seeing extremely high demand among payers and others.

"Providing personalized coaching based on this detailed data helps the person living with Type 2 Diabetes to better assess how their actions and choices with food, exercise, medications, stress, and even sleep can influence their blood sugar variability," Duffy said. "This is valuable information for both the individual and the coach, as it can then be used to formulate a plan to help minimize the high and low blood sugars that occur in diabetes."

THE LARGER TREND

Omada has been raising new funds for its care platform. Last week it announced a strategic investment from Intermountain Ventures for an undisclosed sum, adding onto the $73 million raise it announced in June. 

While Omada is best known for its diabetes management capabilities, it has also ventured into the mental health space. In January it entered a licensing agreement with Lantern Health, a digital mental health company that shut down its commercial operations in 2018, with plans to integrate Lantern’s software into its existing infrastructure. 

This also isn't the first time Abbott has inked a deal to integrate its CGM. Over the winter it announced that Novo Nordisk’s connected insulin pens will integrate with the Freestyle Libre system, allowing FreeStyle Libre users to see data about their insulin alongside their glucose readings. 

ON THE RECORD

"We've seen how FreeStyle Libre transforms lives through its proven track record in improving health outcomes, and our goal is to find new ways for even more people with diabetes to benefit from this technology," Jared Watkin, SVP of diabetes care at Abbott, said in a statement. "Through this collaboration, we're creating a personalized care experience that combines Abbott's leading CGM technology with Omada Health's professional coaching and digital platform — giving people with Type 2 diabetes actionable information that leads to better health."

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