With the rising prevalence of diabetes and its related complications, the need for effective management strategies has never been more demanding.
Diabetes, a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by increased blood sugar levels, poses a significant threat to global health, as it affects more than 500 million people globally.
The condition can lead to heart disease, stroke, blindness, and kidney failure to mention a few.
While conventional treatments, such as insulin therapy and lifestyle modifications, can help with diabetes management, adherence to treatment plans and self-management practices remains a challenge.
However, innovative solutions driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI) can provide personalized insights, real-time monitoring, and tailored support to help optimize diabetes management.
At the centre of this, we caught up with Esse Evbuomwan, a current PhD student in Biomedical Engineering in the United States, with her research centred around Microbial Therapeutics.
As part of her innovative solution journey, she co-founded DailyCheck, a startup, that is conceptualizing the development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools for diabetes care.
In this chat, Esse discussed how DailyCheck isn’t just a disruptor; but a catalyst for change, leveraging the capabilities of AI to redefine how we perceive, approach, and conquer the intricacies of diabetes care in an age where health and innovation meet.
Background, Overview, Key features
Esse graduated from Bells University of Technology’s Department of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering in 2015, with her thesis project, “The Design of an Incubator with a Phototherapy Unit”, which earned her a nomination for a National Science Prize, the Stephen Oluwole Awokoya Science Award in 2016.
Following her national service year, she joined the Future Leaders Program at GSK Nigeria in 2017, where she utilized her Biomedical Engineering expertise to create initiatives that enhanced the awareness and accessibility of asthma medications and devices in Nigeria.
According to her, these efforts caught global attention, leading her to get recognition and win multiple awards that aligned with GSK’s consistent top ranking on the Access to Medicines Index throughout her time at the organization.
As explained by Esse, DailyCheck is a cloud-based mobile application designed to enhance access to and utilization of Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support (DSMES) services.
Despite the proven benefits of DSMES in improving diabetes outcomes, its utilization remains low among people with diabetes.
In addressing this, the startup is developing a conversational agent in the form of a chatbot that leverages natural language processing and artificial intelligence, specifically Large Language Models (LLMs) such as Generative Pretrained Transformers (GPT) from third-party APIs.
This AI component works in tandem with its proprietary Bot Framework, which features an expert-vetted algorithm hardcoded with DSMES components including healthy eating, being active, blood sugar monitoring, and healthy coping, among others.
“The Bot Framework serves as a guardrail or gatekeeper, ensuring the accuracy of the information provided. Meanwhile, the GPT component, a type of neural network architecture particularly suited for language processing, refines the delivery of the output. Each output is assigned a confidence score based on a predetermined threshold, ensuring the quality and reliability of the information provided.
“To further optimize diabetes management and self-care, our application offers personalization and contextual relevance. Users have the option to sync the application with third-party apps like Continuous Glucose Monitors, Apple Health, Samsung Health, etc. This allows for a more tailored approach to diabetes management, taking into account the user’s unique health data and lifestyle.” Esse remarked.
With a family history of diabetes, this mission is deeply personal to Esse and with Reports showing that by 2045, one in every eight adults, that is 20-79-year-olds, will be living with diabetes, the launch of OpenAI’s ChatGPT and the subsequent release of their API last November have sparked a surge in AI tools aimed at enhancing health outcomes globally.
“We recognized this as an opportunity to harness this technological advancement to enhance a crucial aspect of diabetes management in the US – the Diabetes Self-Management Education and Support services. Despite their proven efficacy in improving diabetes outcomes, these services are underutilized.” Esse stated.
Esse is confident that by eliminating access barriers and making these services more engaging, we can increase their usage.
This according to her could significantly cut down on lost productivity and healthcare expenditure resulting from diabetes complications, and most importantly, improve the quality of life for individuals living with diabetes.
There are limited digital tools that directly tackle the low adoption rate of DSMES, however, according to Esse, DailyCheck stands out with the following unique features:
- Personalized Chats: This primary mode of engagement offers a more user-friendly experience compared to navigating through complex charts and multiple tabs for generic information.
- User-Appropriate Language: The startup utilizes Generative Pretrained Transformers (GPT) to ensure effective communication through user-appropriate language.
- Intuitive and Customizable Interface: Its interface is intuitive and customizable, making it accessible even for those who are less digitally savvy.
“We plan to introduce more features that further enhance our tool’s capabilities in promoting DSMES adoption after our launch.” she added.
Current challenges and solutions
According to Esse, the historically low adoption rates of DSMES could be attributed to many factors and some of the unique ones are:
Access to DSMES services can be hindered by geographical disparities, especially in rural or underserved areas.
Shortage and overburdening of health workers hinder the successful implementation of DSMES, especially in rural public health systems.
Costs associated with DSMES programs, including transportation, copayments, or program fees, can deter individuals from participating.
The busy schedules and time commitments for both healthcare providers and patients may limit engagement in DSMES.
Lastly, the limited availability of these programs in multiple languages can be a hindrance, especially in multilinguistic areas.
DaliyCheck addresses the current challenges and low adoption of DSMES services in several ways:
- Ease of accessibility, thus overcoming geographical disparities, especially in rural or underserved areas.
- Leveraging AI in the form of GPT to provide personalized DSMES services without overburdening health workers.
- Minimizing costs associated with DSMES programs through digital services.
- Enabling users to engage with DSMES services at their convenience.
- Addressing the challenge of the limited availability of DSMES programs in multilinguistic areas.
- Utilizing GPT to ensure effective communication through user-appropriate language.
- Intuitive and customizable interface
Impact, Functionality and User Experience
DailyCheck’s impact according to Esse would be measured by User Engagement, Health Metrics, DSMES Adoption, and Quality of Life.
To assess the effectiveness of its personalized DSMES interventions, DailyCheck will use a combination of quantitative data ( health metrics and the likes) and qualitative data ( user feedback and testimonials).
“We also intend to use A/B testing to compare the effectiveness of different intervention strategies. By continuously tracking these data and conducting rigorous analyses, we can assess the effectiveness of our solution and make necessary adjustments to enhance its impact on diabetes outcomes. Our ultimate goal is to improve the quality of life for individuals living with diabetes.” Esse noted.
DailyCheck incorporates several features designed to enhance engagement for individuals managing diabetes:
Its chatbot conversationally delivers personalized DSMES content.
The platform provides real-time feedback based on the health data synced from third-party apps. This immediate response can motivate users to stay on track with their diabetes management.
The platform can sync with third-party health apps like Continuous Glucose Monitors, Apple Health, Samsung Health, etc. This allows users to see all their health data in one place, making it easier to manage their diabetes.
Users can set personal health goals and track their progress over time. This feature can provide a sense of achievement and encourage users to continue using the platform.
DailyCheck’s AI-driven Strategy
As explained by Esse, AI has the potential to revolutionize diabetes management by providing personalized and accessible solutions.
DailyCheck plays a transformative role in this field through the integration of AI, specifically GPT, into its innovative diabetes self-management solution.
`Some of the ways AI contributes to this transformation, and how DailyCheck is leveraging the momentum are:
AI-driven Personalization: The DailyCheck chatbot engages users in personalized conversations, making diabetes management more tailored to individual needs and preferences.
Language Processing for Accessibility: This is crucial for breaking down language barriers and ensuring that individuals from diverse linguistic backgrounds can access and benefit from diabetes self-management information.
Conversational AI: This conversational approach enhances user engagement, making it more effective than navigating through traditional charts and tabs.
Continuous Learning: AI would allow Dailycheck’s system to continuously learn from user interactions, adapting and improving over time. This adaptive learning contributes to more effective and evolving diabetes education tailored to individual progress and needs.
Data-driven Insights: DailyCheck utilizes AI to analyze health metrics, such as blood glucose levels, HbA1c levels, and BMI. The AI algorithms provide data-driven insights, enabling users to monitor their health more comprehensively and make informed decisions about their diabetes management.
Early Detection and Intervention: AI can contribute to the early detection of patterns or anomalies in health metrics, allowing for timely interventions and adjustments to the self-management plan.
DailyCheck, according to Esse has conducted a preliminary user survey to identify the pain points of its target users.
The startup would be launching some of the strategies to drive adoption and engagement through educational activities, partnerships, mobile accessibility, multilingual support, simplified onboarding, and user feedback integration.
Data privacy
“Ensuring robust data privacy and security is a top priority for our platform, especially given the sensitive nature of health data involved in diabetes management,” Esse commented.
According to Esse, DailyCheck is implementing a comprehensive approach to safeguard user information and maintain the highest standards of data protection.
“We will strictly adhere to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) regulations, which set standards for the protection of sensitive health information. In addition to HIPAA, we will comply with other relevant data protection regulations and standards applicable in the regions where our platform operates,” she added.
All data transmitted between users and our platform, as well as within our system, will be encrypted using industry-standard encryption protocols.
This includes end-to-end encryption for communication channels. Similarly, Secure Sockets Layer certificates will be employed to secure data transmitted over the internet, ensuring that information is encrypted during transit.
Access to user data will be strictly governed by role-based access control mechanisms. Only authorized personnel have access to specific levels of information based on their roles.
Two-factor authentication will be implemented for additional layers of security, ensuring that only authorized individuals can access sensitive data.
As regards the server infrastructure, Esse explained that user data will be stored on secure servers with robust infrastructure, and access to these servers will be restricted to authorized personnel.
“There would be regular automated backups of user data conducted to ensure data integrity and availability in the event of unexpected incidents. We have developed a comprehensive incident response plan to address any potential data breaches promptly and effectively. This includes the prompt notification of our users per regulatory requirements.” she noted.
Partnerships
According to Esse, DailyCheck recognizes the importance of collaborative efforts with healthcare providers and institutions to enhance the overall impact of our digital solution.
“We are currently part of the Microsoft Startup Founders Hub. This partnership has given us most of the resources we are building with. We are actively exploring partnerships, collaborations, and integrations to foster a holistic approach to diabetes management.” Esse explained.
DailyCheck focus areas include the following:
Clinical Guidance Collaboration: Collaborating with healthcare professionals to incorporate expert clinical guidance into our platform ensures that our digital solution aligns with evidence-based practices and guidelines.
Research Collaborations: Partnering with research institutions allows us to contribute to the advancement of knowledge in diabetes management. Collaborative research initiatives can enhance the effectiveness of our interventions and contribute valuable insights to the field.
Partnerships with Wearable Tech Companies: This would allow seamless integration with devices such as Continuous Glucose Monitors, enhancing the platform’s ability to provide real-time health data to users and healthcare providers.
Community Outreach Collaborations: Partnering with patient advocacy groups, like the ADA, would help us reach a wider audience and engage with communities affected by diabetes.
Bottomline
“Our vision for the future of DailyCheck is deeply rooted in pioneering advancements in digital health and diabetes care, with a commitment to improving the well-being of individuals managing diabetes.”, Esse elaborated
Esse believes that integrating emerging technologies, such as wearables, IoT devices, and real-time health monitoring tools, to provide a comprehensive view of users’ health status will enable more proactive and data-driven diabetes management.
Furthermore, DailyCheck plans to enhance its user engagement and education by incorporating gamification elements, interactive modules, and real-time feedback to make the self-management journey more engaging and informative.
Concluding, Esse restates DailyCheck’s vision of playing a crucial role in the broader public health initiatives related to diabetes prevention and management through collaboration with government agencies, non-profits, and advocacy groups to address the larger societal impact of diabetes.
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