The Economist Intelligence Unit and MedTech Europe launch Digital Diabetes Index
Posted on 14.11.2020
This World Diabetes Day, MedTech Europe reaffirms our commitment to driving forward positive change in diagnosis, treatment and care for people with diabetes, while supporting health systems in Europe meet the demands and opportunities of a changing world.
Today also marks the launch of the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU)’s Digital Diabetes Index, commissioned by MedTech Europe’s Diabetes Sector Group. It benchmarks the readiness of ten European countries to deploy digital interventions in diabetes diagnosis, treatment and care.
Diabetes is a silent and growing pandemic that affects 1 in 11 people around the world, including 60 million people in Europe. Living with diabetes requires 24/7 attention and hundreds of decisions per day to keep the condition well managed. At the same time, diabetes places a significant and growing demand on healthcare systems.
Digitally-enabled tools and services benefit people with diabetes by supporting their self-management of blood glucose levels, reducing the progress of diabetes related complications, and increasing quality of daily life. Digital solutions also help health systems keep diabetes related expenditures in control by allowing a valuable integration of care with and for the person living with diabetes. This raises the question: are health systems prepared to leverage the opportunities that digital health offers to enhance diabetes care?
The newly launched Digital Diabetes Index developed by the EIU examines 25 indicators across 10 European countries on the readiness to deploy digital interventions, focusing on digital technologies used to diagnose, treat and care for people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
The findings of the Index indicate the following future directions for developments in digital diabetes care:
1. Reimbursement pathways that recognise the value of digital diabetes tools,
2. Assessment and evaluation processes that are fit-for-purpose for digital diabetes tools,
3. Guidance and diabetes plans that include specific recommendations about digital diabetes tools to support healthcare professionals in recommending them,
4. Training for healthcare professionals in digital diabetes tools to raise awareness and increase confidence,
5. Turning policy into action through funding, time and political will.
The corresponding white paper further explores the findings in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has underscored the need for greater access to digital diabetes solutions. The paper draws the key conclusion that temporary improvements in access to digital diabetes tools should translate into permanent service provision.
The research is available via a digital hub on digitaldiabetesindex.eiu.com, which contains the white paper, country profiles and Excel workbook.
The European Diabetes Sector Group in MedTech Europe looks forward to engaging in a dialogue with the different communities at European and national levels to reflect on EIU’s findings, debate, and drive forward positive change.
About MedTech Europe
MedTech Europe is the European trade association for the medical technology industry including diagnostics, medical devices and digital health. Our members are national, European and multinational companies as well as a network of national medical technology associations who research, develop, manufacture, distribute and supply health-related technologies, services and solutions.
For more information, visit www.medtecheurope.org.
Press contact:
Jerick Parrone
Senior Manager Communications – External Affairs
MedTech Europe
[email protected]