CheckMate: New Diabetes Mobile Social App | DiabetesMine - scottgrosse

We know, we know… there are tons of apps out there that rich person to Doctor of Osteopathy with reminding PWDs (the great unwashe with diabetes) to handicap their glucose more often, and track parameters like food, dosing and exert. But this one's a trifle unusual, taking a community approach that includes some favorable contention and cheerleading, along with incentives offered via gamification.

Say hello to Checkmate Diabetes, a budding inauguration created away a group of students at Harvard. Their hot iOS and Android compatible app launched in mid-February and a follow of early users found a four-fold increase in precision and consistency reaching BG targets, we'rhenium told. The company is working closely with the Joslin Diabetes Center and Massachusetts General Infirmary, and they've conventional funding from MIT to further develop this mobile app platform.

"What sets us apart from the rest is that we are community-focused rather than individual-centered as we are using gamification, perceptible rewards and personal livelihood groups to serve as extrinsic motive," says Michael Heisterkamp, a Harvard grad student who is one of Mate's five founders, the only one keep with T1D himself. "Our mantra is to create an app for people with diabetes, by people with diabetes."

The app is pretty unequivocal to use: You bu sign in and connect via Facebook, program your Low/Swollen BG thresholds and connect with any FB friends, and then start manually logging your blood sugars. A splasher lets you track your earned rewards and persuasion how others are doing. The plan is to eventually allow integration of other device data into Mate as well.

The whole idea grew out of a Harvard of course named "Glucose: From Molecules to Society" (SCRB 175, for those interested). Atomic number 27-cave in Emi Gonzalez, who's graduating this year with a focus in Molecular and Cellular Biological science, explained that the course included PWD guest speakers WHO spoke about how complications like vision red and amputations stimulate impacted their lives. The class began an open-ended project to build a preventative instrument, and that eventually LED to the cardinal students launching CheckMate.

We had a chance to talk with D-peep Heisterkamp newly, and here's what he shares about CheckMate and his own diabetes story as well.

DM) Hey Michael, at that place are many diabetes apps kayoed there. What's very unique about CheckMate?

MH) We are creating CheckMate to fill a void that exists in the market currently. There are none former good options that provide lasting need, create cohesive communities and allow hoi polloi to whelm their conditions jointly.

How are you doing that?

We are utilizing gamification by having users compete against their friends, other local users, and themselves to motivate populate to take see to it of their situation. We are using machine learnedness algorithms to monitor user interaction and human body scoring platforms that will motivate the largest number of users to create the most positive benefit. We are using gamification as well as social community construction to provide some intrinsic and extrinsic motivation.

What is your role at CheckMate?

I am the lin theater director. At Harvard, I'm a Original's student focus in Strategic Management. I'm as wel a music enterpriser who's been involved in the initiation of companies in the veridical estate, amusement and technology industries.

Dismiss you William Tell us about your own T1D diagnosis?

American Samoa far as I am mindful, I mightiness still hold the record for the highest conscious blood glucose version at the infirmary when admitted and diagnosed. I don't withdraw the exact number, but my glucose was somewhere in the mid-900s.

I was 15 at the time and it was Labor Day weekend. I spent a week in the infirmary and about 50% of that time was in the Intensive care unit. The doctors were running all kinds of tests because of extra things they believed were being affected callable to my blood sugar levels and the extreme point distance of time I had deceased through and through that summer unknown. Looking back on the symptom history, I would say I was undiagnosed for at least 3 months if not thirster. I was given insulin during my Intensive care unit time at a very slow charge per unit so as to not exacerbate the early concerns the doctors had during that time.

That was 15 years past. I received excellent diabetes education piece in the hospital, and I am good-hearted of afraid when people tell Maine how little didactics they received while in the infirmary.

So Eastern Samoa a PWD yourself, you actually realize the daily challenges. What kinds of rewards are you offer CheckMate users?

We are currently building partnerships with industry, community businesses and users to bring the best possible rewards that users will see the most benefit from — diabetes and health-related prizes including testing supplies, insulin supplies, gym passes, in condition food gift certificates and other similar prizes.

What sets it obscure from other apps that as wel use gamification?

We believe that construction strong community financial backing systems are what will drive the next big find in diabetes care and management. Care many other conditions, a big key to the long-terminal figure success of condition management and creating a better life for those stricken is the building positive motivation feedback loops. We believe this is what will set CheckMate apart from entirely another platforms that presently exist.

What's the residential district reply been to the CheckMate app, so far?

To that degree (as of precocious March) we wealthy person launched an Most valuable player (minimum viable product) and we are approaching 200 downloads with essentially zero consumer advertising. We are actively soliciting feedback just so immoderate what we have accepted has been precise convinced. We are putting users in the driver's seat in terms of app growing, we believe that building the app that users lack is our path to success in the commercialise.

How are you measure outcomes for those using the app?

We have done a beta proof of concept where we simulated the app and had volunteers monitor their blood glucose numbers arsenic well as the issue of times a day they were testing and ran the results done our scoring algorithmic program to create a score. The users provided six weeks worth of glucose testing results and frequence. We then asked participants to provide their blood glucose high and low range as well American Samoa the number of times their doctor asked them to test each twenty-four hour period. We and then reached out to them on a weekly basis to provide their glucose results and screen absolute frequency. Ended the course of the six-week proof-of-concept test, we saw spectacular results, both in time spent in range and the frequency of glucose examination made positive movement in a statistically significant amount.

Participants also provided feedback weekly every bit to how the group interest was helping Beaver State hindering their testing frequency and results. We received undeniable feedback from every someone in the study about the interactive features (group text messaging).

What about those who apply CGMs (continuous glucose monitors)?

Yes, we are construction in usability for them; the distinguish components of Mate are not explicitly tied to the digital logbook.

Every bit you build this out, will CheckMate remain free of charge?

Our application is a consumer-focused political platform and we are looking to have a competitive pricing model compared to others in the market for the full spectrum of capabilities. We do have and will continue having a free verison that is slimly armored down pat, to furnish our unique benefits to all people.

How are you temporary with health care providers happening this?

We are presently working with troika advisors at Massachusetts General Hospital and Joslin, as well as industry advisers. Our advisers are helping us bettor interpret the needs of the potential user population as well as provide insight into the medical system and how CheckMate (the companionship) can best position itself as a meaningful creature.

What some funding?
We are currently sourcing angel investments and look forward to continuing to build our steel, political program and user dishonourable by providing the best service possible.

Looks wish an interesting construct, and we're peculiarly interested in seeing how this develops, orgasm from the minds of a younger contemporaries 🙂