U.S. study of online, in-person diabetes management program points to reduced cost of care

The program, from digital therapeutics company Canary Health, is called Better Choices, Better Health - Diabetes (BCBH-D). It facilitates online or in-person support groups for six weeks and encourage healthy eating, regular exercise and positive problem solving for diabetes-related issues. After seeing the program was used by thousands of diabetes patients, researchers from the National Council on Aging Services evaluated the financial toll of diabetes care for those in the program. They found participants in the program saw a significant decrease in use of health-related resources, such as emergency department visits and outpatient visits. BCBH-D workshop enrolees incurred $815 less in healthcare costs in the year following the program than those who didn’t participate.