Lauren Cohen, United Kingdom
BHR Ltd R&DPresenter of 1 Presentation
DO-IT-YOURSELF AUTOMATED INSULIN DOSING: QUALITATIVE STUDY EXPLORING HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES
Abstract
Background and Aims
Healthcare professional (HCP) engagement with do-it-yourself automated insulin dosing (DIY AID) systems is variable with no clear guidelines or liability clarification if they choose to do so. We conducted qualitative interviews to examine the HCP perspective on these systems and their impact on routine healthcare.
Methods
Twenty healthcare professionals were interviewed from adult and paediatric diabetes services. HCP interviews explored perceptions of DIY AID systems, facilitators, and barriers to supporting such systems with patients and views on what would be required for the systems to be integrated into routine healthcare if safety and efficacy could be proven.
Results
HCPs reported benefits including glycaemic improvements (n=13), being safer than or presenting no added risk compared to other diabetes technologies and management approaches (n=12) and customizability (n=9). HCPs described the primary barriers to supporting DIY AID use as uncertainty about liability issues (n=19) and lack of formal guidelines regarding DIY AID systems in clinical practice (n=19). The majority of HCPs discussed reviewing data or collaborating with patients using DIY systems. Approximately half of HCPs reported making efforts to learn about DIY systems from patients, colleagues, or online resources.
Conclusions
We provide useful data about the complexities of the HCP and DIY AID user relationship as well as factors involved in HCP decisions about whether to support patients using these systems. HCP decision-making appears to be more nuanced than supporting or not supporting DIY use, with HCPs describing varying degrees of support for patients’ DIY systems.