More than 100 million people in the United States are currently living with diabetes or prediabetes. If untreated, people at risk for diabetes can develop type 2 diabetes. Unlike other health conditions, diabetes is considered a chronic condition and requires ongoing self-management by the individual. Typically a person receives little guidance and support from a healthcare professional beyond writing a prescription for medications and a general explanation of the condition.

Diabetes is also one of the most expensive conditions for employees and their family members, directly impacting employers and productivity. One example of this is the 57 million unplanned sick days, employers experience a yearly loss of about $20 billion.

Navigating diabetes can seem intimidating both for the patient and their employers and one way to mitigate the costs of diabetes in the workforce is through a chronic condition management program, which is a separate benefit that helps employees living with diabetes better manage their health and be more productive at work.

Finding the right diabetes management program can be tricky for employers and benefits managers. Below are 4 tips for helping identify what’s most important.

Tip #1: A personalized approach yields better results

A personalized path is the optimal path when it comes to encouraging people to better manage their health. A glucose meter alone and an occasional automated email or text will not help people make the lifestyle changes necessary for maintaining good control of their diabetes.

At One Drop, we provide a holistic experience that is tailored to each program participant. With our AI-powered approach, we offer a personalized program that encompasses digital tools, connected devices, structured education, and one-on-one coaching to empower self management for diabetes. Leveraging AI gives us an incredible opportunity to scale effective diabetes management programs. We meet people where they are, which is different every day. Thanks to our human approach, we help participants avoid problems before they happen and seize opportunities. Our coaches, who are all certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists, focus on responding to specific situations and provide the emotional support that is so critical when managing diabetes. Leveraging AI across our UX allows for health coaching to be more strategic.

Tip #2: Numbers don’t lie. Look for evidence-based programs

Numbers tell you a lot about a program. There are a lot of companies in the digital health space that cannot provide clinical data around their programs. At One Drop, we have enrolled over 2.5 million users and leverage over 12 billion health data points along with 250 million glucose readings. Our employer program offers results that have positive impact on a participant’s health and the employer’s bottom line. Our clinical studies show that regular One Drop users can lower their A1C (average glucose level) by 1.9% in just three months. The average participant increases their physical activity by 35 minutes per week over the course of three months. We have delivered very strong participant satisfaction scores (54+ NPS) and we have over 20 published peer-reviewed studies.

Tip #3: Make sure the program addresses the whole person

One Drop’s award-winning app tracks all health data, monitors progress, and offers insights and tips to make healthy living easier. But we do not stop at the app. We set our participants up with condition-specific devices, such as a glucose meter, that seamlessly capture and upload health data to the One Drop app. Its sleek design and Bluetooth connectivity make health tracking easy and enjoyable. Our device also integrates with Apple Health, Fitbit, Google Fit, and more. Every participant is welcomed with a Starter Kit complete with a glucose meter, unlimited tests strips, and lancets all delivered straight to their door. The program also offers diabetes-specific learning modules as well as a community feature providing recipes, infographics, polls, user stories, and more

Tip #4: Understand the economic benefits of a diabetes management program

As mentioned earlier, diabetes is the most expensive chronic condition for employees, their family members, and for employers. The American Diabetes Association observed a 26% increase in diabetes healthcare costs over the course of five years, bringing the total costs of diagnosed diabetes to $330 billion a year. The indirect cost equals $3.3 billion in absenteeism from the workplace, with an average cost of $26.9 billion annually. Offering a diabetes management program to your workforce can help you save money and empower your employees beyond work performance and career growth. It is also a tool to attract and retain top talent. The One Drop employer diabetes program brings health results and pays for itself in savings after the first year.

One Drop is leading the paradigm shift from reactive to prospective health management. A reactive model is based on participants looking back at their data in order to understand and treat the effects of past behavior. Our predictive model empowers participants to focus on the things they can do now to change their predicted outcomes, we empower people to self manage their diabetes in a way that provides support in between doctor visits.

Managing diabetes does not have to be difficult for your workforce or for you.

**pulled from onedrop.today/blogs/enterprise/4-tips-for-choosing-the-right-workplace-diabetes-solution