Effect of a Digital Diabetes Solution on All-Cause Health Care Resource Utilization Charges for Patients with Type 2 Diabetes-A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background: Dario Diabetes Solution (DDS) is a digital health application (app) for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) management that combines a blood glucose (BG) meter and a mobile app, allowing patients (pts) to track BG levels in real time. This study compared all-cause healthcare resource utilization (HCRU; inpatient + ER) and charges for DDS users vs matched nonusers. Methods: This retrospective cohort study (pt selection window: 1JAN2017 - 31APR2021) included adults (≥18 years) with T2DM receiving antidiabetic medication(s) with ≥1 inpatient or ≥2 outpatient visits ≥30 days apart during the baseline (BL) period. BL was 1 year before index date (users, 1st DDS registration; nonusers, 1st claim date in the quarter); follow up was 1 year. User and nonuser cohorts were matched 1:3 using exact and propensity score matching. Study assessed HCRU rates and charges. A 2-part gamma distribution model was used to determine 1) likelihood (odds ratio, OR) of users vs nonusers to incur charges, then 2) total charges per patient per year (PPPY) including all-cause HCRU and office visit (OV) charges. Results: Of 9779 pts, 2445 DDS users and 7334 nonusers were matched; mean age, 58.2±10.6 and 58.3±12.5 years, respectively. At 1 year, users were 9% less likely to incur all-cause HCRU charges vs nonusers (OR, 0.91; P=0.07). All-cause HCRU charges were 26% lower for users vs nonusers (P<0.0001; $12552 [adjusted] PPPY savings). Users were more likely to incur all-cause OV charges vs nonusers (P=0.04). However, users had 19% lower all-cause OV charges vs nonusers (P<0.0001; $1790 [adjusted] PPPY savings). The percentages of pts who incurred T2DM related HCRU charges were low (users, 3.1%; nonusers, 3.0%). Conclusions: In this retrospective cohort study, pts with T2DM who utilized DDS incurred significantly lower all-cause HCRU and OV charges vs nonusers. Disclosure L. Wilson: Employee; Sanofi. D. C. Malone: Consultant; Sanofi Genzyme, Avidity, Sarepta, Pear Therapeutics, Gilead Sciences, Inc., Novartis. P. Potukuchi: None. N. Thingalaya: None. K. C. Lee: Employee; Sanofi. A. Edwards: Other Relationship; Sanofi. Employee; Symphony Health, an ICON plc company. X. Yu: None. F. Lee: Employee; Sanofi. Stock/Shareholder; Sanofi. A. Kennedy: None. E. K. Han-Burgess: Employee; Sanofi. D. Brixner: Consultant; Sanofi. Funding Sanofi