From Worst to Best (Glucose Meter) Case Scenario

http://type2diabetestreatment.net/diabetes-mellitus/from-worst-to-best-glucose-meter-case-scenario/

Not long ago, I wrote a whole treatise on the importance of medical device carry case design – how the functionality and aesthetics of the way we schlep these tools through life makes all the difference.

At the time, I was already in talks with Livongo Health, creators of the new bright-color block In Touch call-center-connected wireless glucose meter, about improving their case design.

What I didn’t realize at the outset is that they actually started out with one of the worst meter cases ever made. Users complained that the elastic band that secured this touchscreen meter in place actually stretched right over the screen, blocking it out. “How did this even get past the design stage??” one commenter lamented.

It’s heartening to see that Livongo took all this case-fuss seriously. And I’m delighted to report that I was part of the solution. I was able to help Livongo transform their case from something truly annoying into something that could almost make you smile.

Many of you know that Manny Hernandez, beloved advocate and founder of the Diabetes Hands Foundation, joined Livongo in May of 2015. Naturally, being one of us PWDs, he totally “gets it” that the case can be nearly as important as the meter itself – because it’s an integral part of how we live with and interact with this D-tool. If you’re reaching for a case you hate a dozen times a day, struggling with the zipper or forced to take extra steps just to see the screen or reach the strip port, well… that’s a quality of life hit. Not something any of us needs on top of all the other downsides of living with diabetes.

#Firstworldproblems? Maybe. But as I mentioned in my case design post, there’s a reason that iPhone cases are a billion-dollar industry. Not to mention the $9.2 billion market for women’s handbags in the U.S. alone. These receptacles for covering and carrying things we take with us everywhere matter to us. A lot.

So what did we do with the Livongo case?

Manny and team (and I, intermittently) spent a bunch of time looking at other cases on the market, both from competing meter manufacturers and from the independent diabetes case-makers like PumpWear, Tallygear, Sugar Medical and the like.

We identified three core must-have’s:

• A strap or holder that allows easy in-and-out, but does NOT require the user to pull the meter out in order to clearly see the screen or do a test
• A compartment that works well for storing used test strips, with a zipper closure so they won’t fall out (by God why don’t most cases have this?!)
• Additional compartments for extra lancets, etc., designed in a way that still allows for a FLAT profile, so the case is the least-bulky it can be

And whala! This is what the new case looks like:

It’s made of neoprene that feels sturdy yet flexible, and sports a split zipper compartment on the inside for those used test strips + extra lancets:

There’s also a full-length inside compartment and a deep outside pocket where you could stuff a backup syringe or two, alcohol wipes and the like:

And the meter is held in place with ingenious ruched nylon flaps (that I had nothing to do with, admittedly):

The flaps remind me of a little “diaper” for the glucose meter, but in a good way. Nothing hugs like Huggies, right?

Yes, I know… it’s BLACK. Which gives it a bit of the “so what?” factor. But don’t let the plain color fool you. This case looks and feels good and functions well.

When I opened the box of the prototype they sent me, I liked it so much I spent about 15 minutes trying to jam my OmniPod PDM into that “diaper.” Sorry Podders – it just doesn’t fit.

So maybe the next case I’m on is Insulet…?

Anyhow, congrats to Manny and team at Livongo on a successful makeover (#caseover ?)

I love that they even had little cards printed to ship with the case that read, “At Livongo, we really want ot make living with diabetes a bit easier. We designed this case to help you bring your checking supplies with you in a convenient and stylish way. We hope you like it!”

Seriously, when was the last time any #BGnow meter manufacturer put that much effort into our carrying convenience?

In summary: #DiabetesNeverStops #DesignMatters #Thanks

Disclaimer: Content created by the Diabetes Mine team. For more details click here.

Disclaimer

This content is created for Diabetes Mine, a consumer health blog focused on the diabetes community. The content is not medically reviewed and doesn"t adhere to Healthline"s editorial guidelines. For more information about Healthline"s partnership with Diabetes Mine, please click here.

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