WA families getting access to first-of-its-kind diabetes management app developed at Perth Children’s Hospital

Families across Western Australia will be able to manage type 1 diabetes easier, thanks to a first-of-its-kind app developed in the State.

The Rio Tinto Children’s Diabetes Centre, run out of The Kids Research Institute Australia and Perth Children’s Hospital, launched the DiabHQ Patient Portal on World Diabetes Day.

The app hopes to help the more than 1200 children living with type 1 diabetes in WA and the 150 kids diagnosed every year.

The tech brings together a patient’s health data including clinical records, pathology results, glucose levels, and appointment details as well as information on how to manage the condition including through nutrition and insulin dosages .

Jack Johnston, 11, was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes when he was only seven — leaving his family overwhelmed with how much there was to learn on how to manage the life-long condition.

“Obviously with new tech it’s getting a bit easier to manage but back then it was very overwhelming,” his mum Danae Johnston said.

“You just get handed a file and you’re thinking, I’ve just got the shock of a lifetime and now I have to learn all of this stuff to keep my child alive.

“I’m basically on survival mode 24/7 — I’m switched on all the time for his diabetes management even when I’m at work.”

Ms Johnston said having the app makes managing her son’s diabetes much less stressful.

“The app takes that mental load off the carers and the person with diabetes,” she said.

“It has resources that help with the management of nutrition and insulin, and it has all of his health data as well to keep track of his progress to see whether we’re in target or we need to work on something.

“It means that we’ve got access to whatever we need — we are not waiting three months for the clinic to discuss issues now.”

Rio Tinto Children’s Diabetes Centre director and PCH diabetes and endocrinology head Liz Davis said living with type 1 diabetes was exhausting for the child and family but the new app would take some of the burden away.

“Diabetes generates an enormous amount of data, including readings from glucose sensors and insulin pumps, and this can be overwhelming,” she said.

“The DiabHQ Patient Portal will help families to make sense of the data and make decisions that lead to the best outcome for their child. Our goal is for these families to live happy, healthy lives and reduce the stress and burden for them.”

Professor Davis said the portal would also allow clinicians to quickly understand the needs of their patients and researchers will be able to recruit patients for trials and access health data faster.

The new app is possible thanks to support from The Perron Institute and Rio Tinto.