Abbott has announced that their FreeStyle LibreLink App is now available in Australia, and can be used to access glucose data directly from a smartphone.
Utilising their phone’s near-field communication, the FreeStyle LibreLink app enables users to hold their smartphone near the FreeStyle Libre sensor to capture and view their real-time glucose levels, their eight-hour glucose history, and monitor how their glucose is currently changing.
Users can also easily add notes to track food, insulin use, medication and exercise.
“Being able to check my blood glucose levels with my phone is a complete changer. Together with a digital wallet, it means I can now walk out the door with nothing other than my phone,” said FreeStyle LibreLink user, Simon, aged 41 from Port Melbourne, Victoria.
“As an avid long distance kite surfer, it means that I can now check my blood glucose levels with my waterproof phone and don’t have to worry about drowning my reader. Pairing with a phone and reader together will also mean that I have a backup if i lose or misplace either.”
Customers using the FreeStyle LibreLink app will have access to several updates and new features in comparison to the FreeStyle Libre reader, including a later, high-resolution display, text-to-speech capabilities for glucose readings, the ability to log smaller doses of insulin and support for 26 languages. While the app can replace the reader for routine glucose testing the two can also be used in combination with each other.
“Glucose monitoring is one of the most intrusive parts of living with diabetes and Diabetes Australia welcomes technologies that provide people with more convenient and less disruptive ways of monitoring glucose levels,” said Diabetes Australia CEO, Professor Greg Johnson.
“We know that people with diabetes have been looking for devices to be streamlined. Integrating diabetes management tools into mobile phone technologies is another advancement that will reduce the burden of living with diabetes. We want to make it easier for people to better self-manage their diabetes, helping to reduce diabetes-related complications and ultimately improve health outcomes.”
FreeStyle LibreLink users have the option to share their information through LibreView, a secure, cloud-based diabetes management system that enables the patient to share their glucose insights with their healthcare professional.
“The FreeStyle Libre Flash Glucose Monitoring System has proven to be highly popular for people with diabetes who require insulin treatment, both in its great convenience and in the reassuring detailed information it provides - in monitoring real time glucose trends and in the summary data assembled,” said Professor Stephen Twigg, Head of the Department of Endocrinology, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Kellion Professor of Endocrinology and Stan Clark Chair in Diabetes.
“The welcome addition of the FreeStyle LibreLink now further enhances that platform, with greater functionality and provision of helpful data, in a smartphone-based delivery method.”
The FreeStyle LibreLink app can be downloaded for free on both iPhone and Android devices in Australia.
