Written by Michelle Kim, Senior Corporate Marketing Coordinator at Aeroflow Health.
This content has been reviewed for accuracy by Mike Cantor, MD, JD, Chief Medical Advisor at Aeroflow Health.
Health plan partnerships with existing network providers can improve adherence, reduce costs and deliver measurable improvements in health outcomes. Our webinar, “Improving Diabetes Care Using Nutrition Therapy, Strategic Partnerships and Patient-Generated Data,” explored how collaboration can deliver comprehensive, data-driven approaches to diabetes management, integrating key interventions such as continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), Medical Nutrition Therapy (MNT) and member-centered care tools. For more comprehensive insights, watch the full webinar below.
Table of Contents
- How do diabetic Durable Medical Equipment (DME) providers, like Aeroflow, contribute to improving diabetes management beyond simply supplying medical devices?
- To understand why people come to this program, Aeroflow conducted a survey that received over 1400 responses. What do the results mean?
- How do DME partnerships with health plans reduce overall health care costs while maintaining or improving patient outcomes?
- How quickly can we see the impact of the MNT sessions?
- How do you use AI for diabetes management to take CGM data, identify at-risk members, and intervene proactively?
How do diabetic Durable Medical Equipment (DME) providers, like Aeroflow, contribute to improving diabetes management beyond simply supplying medical devices?
Sophie: We are recognizing that the patient’s health journey doesn’t end when they receive a continuous glucose monitor (CGM). In order for the patient to use the CGM successfully and see results, they need to be supported from the beginning. This starts with supporting CGM setup and troubleshooting, providing diabetes self management education and introducing sessions with our qualified dietitians. Patients need to understand how to interpret what they’re seeing on the CGM, what the alerts mean, how to impact their glucose readings and how to set up their device in a way that works for them.
Also unique to Aeroflow is that we are leveraging the value of the dietitian-patient relationship between the patient and the dietitian. We’re working to provide a world-class customer experience to ensure that patients feel heard, have an easy time getting their supplies and have quick access to resources that allow them to persevere when diabetes self management gets challenging. We really do our best to make that journey as easy as possible for them.
To understand why people come to this program, Aeroflow conducted a survey that received over 1400 responses. What do the results mean?
Carson: Overwhelmingly, the response was they wanted to control their glucose levels in order to avoid long-term complications. People really care about staying healthy, and that is why they attend nutrition classes and learn more about what the data is telling them. Their secondary goal is quality of life and weight management. Senior patients are motivated by a desire for structured, reliable support to maintain their health and independence. Proactive patients are motivated by a self-driven approach to optimize their health and reduce reliance on medications.
How do DME partnerships with health plans reduce overall health care costs while maintaining or improving patient outcomes?
Ryan: We create access and engagement for the members. We’ve established trust, gotten them comfortable with new devices and provided diabetes self management education so that we can get members to engage with programs that the health plan may be focused on. We also have the ability to gather social determinants of health needs and help health plans close those gaps. We help reduce overall healthcare expenditure by addressing transportation needs, food insecurities, etc.
How quickly can we see the impact of the MNT sessions?
Sophie: It can happen really quickly. The amazing thing about CGMs is that you get instantaneous information. It improves patients’ interest in using the devices and their adherence because patients can make lifestyle changes and see the impact on their glucose levels in real time.
How do you use AI for diabetes management to take CGM data, identify at-risk members, and intervene proactively?
Carson: The biggest benefit we see is summarizing trends in personalized data and then using the trend data to provide coaching and/or insights to improve diabetes care. We have digital tools that are available to patients free of charge where they can connect their CGM data to our app and receive daily insights and coaching. The next level is using data and behaviors to predict their glucose levels. By coupling AI in diabetes care trends and predictive analytics, not only can we identify high-risk patients, but we can also proactively escalate that information to caregivers or physicians to avoid more severe long-term implications.
Panelists:
Michael Cantor, M.D.
Dr. Mike Cantor is a geriatrician and attorney who has extensive experience designing and implementing value-based care, quality improvement, and care management programs for healthcare providers and health plans. He works as a fractional (part-time) Chief Medical Advisor for Aeroflow Healthcare and other technology-enabled health services companies, value-based care organizations, and digital health companies. Previous roles include: CMO for Uber Health, the logistics and transportation company, Bright Health Plan, an innovative health insurer; CMO for CareCentrix, a leading outsourced home health, durable medical equipment, and post- acute care benefits manager acquired by Walgreens; and CMO for the New England Quality Care Alliance (NEQCA), the physician network affiliated with Tufts Medical Center, where he implemented network-wide quality improvement and care management programs for 150,000 managed care lives. He trained in internal medicine at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston and did his geriatrics fellowship at Harvard Medical School. He has degrees in law and medicine from the University of Illinois.
Ryan Bullock
Ryan serves as Chief Strategy Officer at Aeroflow Health, a premier nationwide provider of durable medical equipment. In his current position, Ryan oversees strategic operations, corporate development, and government relations. For over 16 years, Ryan has provided exceptional leadership, management, and vision to Aeroflow, resulting in incredible growth and profitability for the company. Ryan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electronic Engineering from Western Carolina University and resides with his family in the beautiful mountains of Asheville, North Carolina.
Carson Moore
Carson serves as the Director of Aeroflow Diabetes. Carson initially joined Aeroflow Health in mergers & acquisitions before transitioning to develop and grow the diabetes division. With an extensive background in finance and operations, Carson has a keen understanding of how to optimize processes and maximize efficiency within the healthcare industry. Carson is passionate about implementing initiatives aimed at helping patients understand and navigate the complexities of the industry. He believes in simplifying the process and providing diabetes self management education to empower patients to effectively take control of their diabetes management.
Sophie Lauver, MS, RD, LDN, NBC-HWC
Sophie Lauver is a Registered Dietitian and Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach passionate about helping people take control of their health and get excited about nutrition. Sophie has a Bachelor's degree in Communication from the University of Delaware and a Master’s degree in Dietetics from Eastern Michigan University. Sophie has worked in a wide variety of settings, including hospitals, long-term care, rehabilitation, and wellness technology, and most recently, served as the director of the nation's largest diabetes prevention program. Sophie lives in Baltimore, MD, with her husband, infant son, and their two dogs and two cats. When she’s not working with clients, she enjoys cooking, not doing dishes, trying new restaurants, and spending time being active outside (especially on warm and sunny days).
