What to Look for in a Simple Glucose Monitoring App

Technology is quickly transforming daily blood glucose monitoring.

For people living with diabetes, the introduction of glucose monitoring apps has opened the door to easier tracking and sharing of critical health information. But with so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to know which app is right for you. Knowing what to look for in a simple glucose monitoring app can help you choose the best app for your needs.

What Is a Glucose Monitoring App?

A blood glucose monitoring app logs, stores, and analyzes blood glucose data and allows you to view your information on your smartphone, tablet, or computer. While some apps require blood glucose data to be entered manually, blood glucose monitors with Bluetooth^® can wirelessly upload data to their corresponding apps. Some apps also integrate with other health apps to consolidate important health information.

Benefits of a Glucose Monitoring App

A blood glucose monitoring app helps you monitor your blood sugar levels over time and provides valuable information about how your diabetes management plan is working. You can review the stored results to look for patterns and trends and easily share this data with your healthcare provider. Some apps can also provide reminders to help you remember to check your glucose levels and highlight the high and low glucose events.

You don’t have to worry about losing track or having to manually make sense of readings. Instead, you can access up-to-date insights at any time, identify trends, and share results with your healthcare provider. Some apps also provide notifications to support regular testing and address blood sugar events.

Of course, diabetes management isn’t just about knowing your blood glucose level. The best glucose monitoring apps allow you to monitor a variety of variables related to diabetes management either manually or by importing data from other health apps. This allows you to make smarter health decisions both in the moment and over the long term.

What to Look for in a Simple Glucose Monitoring App

A glucose monitoring app should enhance your diabetes management plan, not add complications and frustrations. Choosing a simple, well-designed app with thoughtful features will help you make the most of this technology. Here’s what to look for:

• A user-friendly and intuitive interface. A glucose monitoring app is useless if it’s hard to use or presents information in a confusing way. An app that features an intuitive interface and user-friendly graphics allows you to easily find and understand the information you need.
• Easy data sharing. The data presentation produced by a high-quality app benefits people with diabetes and healthcare providers alike. A blood glucose monitoring app should make sharing these insights with your healthcare provider simple.
• Compatibility with a Bluetooth-enabled device. Many blood glucose monitors now feature Bluetooth technology to sync results with an app. Sending your blood glucose data directly to the app means you don’t have to write down or remember values, eliminating the hassle of manual uploading and the risk of entering levels incorrectly.
• Useful notifications. When your days get busy, it’s easy to put blood glucose monitoring on the back burner. Apps that allow you to set reminders and receive them when it’s time to check your blood sugar can help you stay on track. It’s also important to choose an app that notifies you when your blood sugar is too high or too low and provides helpful tips for what to do when this happens.
• Emergency contacts. If you have a high or low blood sugar event and aren’t responding to notifications, some apps can alert your emergency contacts. While it’s a feature you hope to never need, it’s potentially lifesaving.
• Comprehensive health information. With the right data, a simple glucose monitoring app can be a powerful, comprehensive health tool. An app that allows you to manually log a variety of health-related metrics and easily integrates with other wellness apps and devices gives you a deeper understanding of your overall health. Such information can include the following:
  • Exercise
  • Food
  • Weight
  • Medication
  • Heart rate
• Illuminating the relationships between these variables and your blood sugar can help you refine your diabetes management plan and support greater well-being.

• Security and privacy. A blood glucose monitoring app should keep your health data secure and comply with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to protect your privacy.

It’s important to note that while a simple blood glucose monitoring app can open up a more productive dialogue with your healthcare provider, it doesn’t replace that dialogue. You should always talk to your healthcare provider before making any changes to your diabetes management plan.

Why Choose the Patterns^® for POGO Automatic^® App?

Patterns is a free app that comes with POGO Automatic, the first FDA-cleared all-in-one blood glucose monitor with 10-test cartridge technology, eliminating the need to carry separate lancets and test strips. This innovative app was built to comply with HIPAA rules and offers the following:

• Automatic syncing of POGO Automatic data via Bluetooth so you can easily track your blood glucose results on your iOS- or Android-based phone, tablet, or PC
• Easy integration with popular wellness apps, including Fitbit^®, Garmin^®, Apple^® Health, and Omron^®
• Blood sugar event notifications and tips
• Test reminders

Patterns’ user-friendly visuals can help you quickly understand your blood sugar levels and the variables that affect your results. Your data can easily be shared with a healthcare provider.

A simple blood glucose monitoring app can help turn your health data into meaningful insights, strengthen your partnership with your healthcare provider, and make managing your diabetes easier than ever before.

Robert Miller Robert Miller is a customer experience specialist committed to helping people navigate the world of diabetes. He focuses on finding innovative tools and strategies that make diabetes management easier to support long-term wellness.

All content on this website is for educational purposes only and does not replace the guidance of your healthcare practitioner. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment and before undertaking a new healthcare regimen, and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website.