Diabetes is the largest non-communicable disease (NCD) in India. As per the latest Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) study, India has over 100 million people with diabetes and over 135 million with pre-diabetes, with several states where diabetes prevalence has crossed 25%!
The landscape of diabetes management is undergoing rapid evolution on a global scale, with the integration of digital tools and technologies playing a pivotal role in this transformation. There are opportunities to use digital technologies through every stage of the patient's healthcare journey - from screening and diagnostics, evidence-based patient care, home care, and the prevention and management of complications. Digital technologies are enhancing the overall quality of care, expanding access to it, and optimizing its cost-effectiveness. In addition, access to high quality patient data at scale is critical to driving research and development, and public health policies.
MOU between the Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India and the Koita Foundation, April 2024
The Research Society for the Study of Diabetes in India (RSSDI) is the largest association of physicians dedicated to the care of people with diabetes in Asia, with over 11,500 members across 23 states in India. Koita Foundation is honoured to partner with RSSDI and set up the RSSDI-Koita Centre for Digital Diabetology (KCDD).
RSSDI's mission is to conduct and support diabetes research and innovation to improve diabetes care as well as the prevention and management of diabetes within the Indian population.RSSDI collaborates with several organizations and does capacity building to bring the healthcare providers under one ecosystem to implement healthcare as per recommendations.
Koita Foundation signed an MOU with RSSDI in April 2024 to establish the RSSDI – Koita Centre for Digital Diabetology (KCDD). RSSDI-KCDD is a first-of-its-kind centre to focus on Digital Diabetology in India. KCDD will create a strong healthcare technology team which will define and execute national Digital programs in diabetes management & research.
Key focus areas of KCDD:
- Quality: Leverage digital technology to improve diabetes treatment workflows and patient experience e.g., Electronic Medical Records (EMRs), clinical quality measures, guideline adherence, patient engagement, AI/ML
- Affordability: Identify areas for cost reduction using digital health technology, data sharing, etc., to make diabetes care more affordable e.g., cost of care benchmarking
- Access: Leverage digital technology to improve access to high-quality diabetes care esp. in non-urban / rural areas e.g., telemedicine
- Productivity: Leverage digital tools & automation to improve the clinical & administrative workflows, reducing manual and redundant activities
- Best Practices: Identify and share best practices in digital technology in Diabetes management
- Training / Capacity Building: Use Digital Health tools for continuous learning/skill development in different user groups (e.g., doctors, nurses, technicians)
- Research & Development: Partner with Healthcare Startups, pharma/ healthcare companies, and other organizations to drive R&D in diabetes
RSSDI Technology Survey 2024: Paving the Way for Digital Transformation in Diabetes Care
The RSSDI Technology Survey 2024 was conducted to address critical gaps in the adoption of digital tools for diabetes care in India. With responses from over 350 members, the survey aimed to understand current digital tool usage, identify key challenges, and prioritize areas where support is most needed. The findings revealed that while digital adoption is low-less than 40% use Clinic Management Systems (CMS), and fewer than 10% use telemedicine or remote monitoring-there is a strong desire among members to adopt these tools. The survey also highlighted a lack of preparedness, with members seeking RSSDI's guidance in areas like CMS integration, patient apps, clinical decision support, and advanced analytics.
These insights are important as they show the current state of digital health in diabetes care and highlight areas where support is most might be needed. By addressing these gaps, RSSDI can help its members drive positive changes in diabetes management. This survey lays the foundation for KCDD-RSSDI's digital health plans, focusing on the needs of doctors, patients, and the wider healthcare system.
Learn how these findings are shaping the future of diabetes care. Click here