Device lets diabetics get blood-sugar levels using Web, iPhone

Starting next week, diabetics will be able to test their blood-sugar levels using a device that instantly sends their readings to an online database that can be accessed by the patient, doctor or caregiver. “This system charts the results to highlight trends and spot problems, and can be accessed via a Web browser or an iPhone app,” writes Walt Mossberg in a column in The Wall Street Journal.

With 366,000 adults in Kentucky already diagnosed with diabetes, the technology could signal a big change in diabetic care and could be a boon for diabetics living in rural areas.

Mossberg, a Type 2 diabetic, used the new device, made by Maryland-based Telcare, and assessed it uses. Looking like a “thick, old cellphone,” it works like a traditional meter, requiring the user to prick their finger to get a drop of blood and touch a test strip to it. That information is then sent to an online database. “Because it automatically logs results and allows real-time sharing, I believe diabetics who use this new system will be less likely to skip readings, or to fudge the numbers, especially if they allow doctors and other caregivers to see the results instantly. And that could mean an improvement in their health,” he writes.