How Patient Insights Have an Impact on Diabetes Treatment Solutions: MedTech Companies Can Learn from Parents & Teenagers Affected by T1D in Order to Fuel Better and More Suited Solutions

Abstract

Over the last decades the technological diabetes care market has undergone significant improvements and developments, which have resulted in an increased demand, as well as the continuous need for innovation among patients.
This research aims to investigate and assess different T1D patient groups’ pains, gains, and needs of diabetes technologies in order to remedy the disconnection between diabetes treatment technologies and its users need, as well as improve how MedTech companies go about designing for diabetes patients. Secondly the research will investigate whether the results from the qualitative study can be used to construct a conceptual model which can assist designers and MedTech companies in designing and develop tech solutions which are better targeted toward diabetes patients, thus striving to increase empowerment, self-care, quality of life.
A qualitative study focus on teenagers affected by type 1 diabetes and parents with children affected by type 1 diabetes was conducted in order to identify the perceptions, needs, pains and gains of patients in terms of their treatment and their use of technology. In total 8 patient group semi-structured interviews where conducted.
The thesis found from the created personas perceive the technologies at hand somewhat differently and that parents valued a more reliable and easier to use technical system, whereas the teenagers emphasized the need for more simplistic and modern technologies.
Lastly the conceptual model is presented. The model guides the designer through the elements essential for designing more targeted solutions for the patient groups. The model allows for dealing with rapid innovation, and the companies will have a tool which can guide then through every step of the diabetes technology eco-system and can assist the companies in becoming ‘first-in-class’ with technologies which the patients will value and use.