The MedStar Health-Conversa “Diabetes to Go” Chatbot

The MedStar Health Medical Group (MMG) and MedStar Health Diabetes Institute (MDI) have partnered to enroll approximately 2,000 diabetic patients (with uncontrolled type 2 diabetes) into a 12-week 'boot camp.' The Boot Camp offers intensive self-care education and diabetes medication management, thus enabling participants to significantly improve their blood sugar control and lower the need for return visits to the emergency department or hospital. 

Upon completion of the Boot Camp, participants and MMG providers identified a need to provide ongoing diabetes management support.  In order to address this need, MDI is launching a diabetes education and support 'chatbot' in collaboration with Conversa and MedStar Health’s Digital Transformation group. A chatbot is an automatic text messaging system that is easily used by patients to get reminders and pertinent information that allows them to take better care of themselves.

The MedStar Health Diabetes Chatbot will:

  • Provide support to Boot Camp graduates to stay on track with their diabetes self-care
  • Expand MedStar Health’s educational reach to MMG patients needing assistance improving their A1C from levels in the 8-8.9% range (who may not qualify for the boot camp)


A small pilot program was launched at the start of November. Key performance indicators to assess usability and effectiveness are being collected and analyzed to help inform potential for future deployments both in clinical and research settings across MedStar Health.

For questions, contact Carine M Nassar, Program Director of MedStar Diabetes Institute at Carine.M.Nassar@MedStar.net. You can also email research@medstar.net.

 


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