HealthPia GlucoPhone

With every new step in diabetes technology, there seems to be a new piece of equipment to carry around. Carrying an insulin pump, glucose meter, and a continuous monitor or logbook along with your cell phone, wallet, and other daily use items can be a little cumbersome. Thanks to HealthPia, you can combine two diabetes tools into one, the GlucoPhone, an all-in-one product that combines a cell phone with a blood glucose monitor. The convenience of this device makes it easier to monitor blood sugars.

GlucoPhone

Glucose results are recorded in an "electronic logbook" that eliminates the need for manual log books or synchronization with a computer. Your logs are placed online where the results are accessible to you and any authorized healthcare professional you choose. A text message of the results can also be transmitted to anyone you choose.

The Technology

The glucose meter component, called a GlucoPack, replaces the back of a cell phone and works with several standard commercial cell phones, including the VX-5200, VX-5300, VX-6100, VX-7000, VX-8100, VX-8300, VX-9800 made by LG. The phone/GlucoPack combo handles all the functions of traditional blood glucose meters handled. The company has plans to develop more models for other popular phones, including the Motorola Razr and the Apple iPhone.

Testing with the GlucoPhone

Just as you would with a standard blood glucose meter, you place a small drop of blood on a test strip. You place the strip in a small slot on the side of the GlucoPak and 9 seconds later your results are shown on the phone, uploaded to the HealthPia website, and securely stored there. You can view the information from any computer without having to download any extra software. The results can also be automatically sent to other sources such as your physician, guardian, family member(s) in real-time at the subscriber's direction.

GlucoPhone Testing

The Cost

The GlucoPhone site offers various bundles for people interested in the GlucoPhone. The GlucoPak meter alone is $69.95. If you already own a compatible phone, you can just buy the meter, test strips, and service. The test strips are relatively expensive at a regular price of $44.95 for 50 strips. HealthPia currently provides these strips for $10.00, but there is no indication of how long this discount will be available. Even the regular price is offset by the value of instant communication of glucose values. Insurance coverage is unclear at this time. Visit www.logicmobile.com for rates for compatible phone plans. If you do not have any parts of the Glucophone, the promotional bundle may be best for you. The GlucoPhone Promotional Bundle includes:

  • FREE LG 5200 cell phone (a $149.99 value)
  • GlucoPack starter kit (a $79.95 value)
  • Free activation on LOGIC Mobile (a $30 value).

The GlucoPhone can be a helpful tool. Parents of teens with diabetes no longer have to continuously check to make sure they are testing their blood sugar. Every time they check a result can be automatically sent to you or your physician. You or the physician also have the ability call or text back instructions on how to adjust doses.

This device can make carrying a glucose meter and checking glucoses easier, while encouraging improvements in your overall diabetes maintenance. Accuracy of glucose readings from the GlucoPack meter compared to other meters is unknown.