Livongo is a diabetes management system that promises to help you live a better life with your chronic condition. Learn more today in our Livongo review.
What Is Livongo?
Livongo is a disease treatment system that recently received a massive $52.5 million investment. The Mountain View, California-based company is initially focusing on diabetes, but will use its latest round of investments to expand to other diseases.
The digital health platform promises to give patients and doctors the information they need to better manage the chronic condition.
Today, Livongo’s diabetes management tool is used by 35,000 people across America. The system includes using “smart” connected glucose meters and app-based coaching to manage the symptoms of the disease.
Livongo received the $52.5 million investment for good reason: the company has already partnered with several Fortune 500 companies, who will offer the platform to employees. FexEx and PepsiCo employees, for example, currently have access to the platform.
Livongo isn’t narrowing its focus on diabetes. CEO Glen Tullman said in a statement that,
“If our goal is to keep people healthier, and we take care of their diabetes but we don’t address their hypertension, high cholesterol or depression, then we haven’t really made them healthier.”
With that in mind, Livongo wants to provide a single, comprehensive health platform for patients and health care providers.
How Does Livongo Work?
Right now, Livongo specializes in monitoring, tracking, and analyzing the symptoms of diabetes. To do that, Livongo has two core components in its system: a smart meter and personalized coaching.
The company uses a connected glucose meter that uses cellular technology to automatically upload member readings and provide them with real-time personalized insights.
The second core feature of the Livongo system is the personalized coaching. Livongo provides personalized support through the meter, mobile app, and coaches to help members make better decisions about diabetes management.
Connected Meter Features
The smart meter is a connected meter that promises to simplify your life with diabetes. Core features of the meter include:
- Connected: Automatically uploads blood glucose readings to the internet, letting you access them online.
- Personalized Insights: Provides real time tips based on blood glucose data.
- Seamless Sharing: Notify your social support system when readings are out of range, letting doctors get alerts when patients may be at risk.
- Add Context to Readings: Health data doesn’t make much sense unless you understand what the numbers mean. Livongo adds info to each reading, helping you understand what they mean for your personal health.
The meter looks like a miniature smartphone. It has a touchscreen a tile-based design – kind of like Windows 8. The main screen lets you check your blood glucose, access logs of your readings, or view messages.
After you take a reading with the connected meter, you’ll receive a real-time personalized message that gives you the information you need to manage your diabetes effectively. You can also keep loved ones in the loop about your blood glucose readings by choosing to automatically notify them by text or email when blood glucose is out of the target range.
Livongo Coaching Features
You access the personalized coaching by downloading the Livongo app. The app gives you personalized coaching anytime and anywhere. You select the coaching method that works best for you, choosing to receive communications by phone, email, text, or mobile app.
Some of the key features of the coaching platform include:
- Support from Experts: Livongo has a team of “Certified Diabetes Educators” who are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You can contact them by email, text, or mobile app. The company claims its educators “can answer diabetes questions ranging from nutrition to lifestyle changes”.
- Mobile App: Gain personalized insights into your blood glucose readings.
- Secure Website: View trends and graphs for your blood glucose readings, and read what those readings mean for your personal health. The website promises to help you “make better decisions about your diabetes management.”.
Livongo Supplies
One of the advantages of being a Livongo member is that your membership includes unlimited strips and lancets. The company claims there are no hidden costs are co-pays. When you’re about to run out, they’ll ship more supplies right to your door.
About Livongo
Livongo describes itself as “a consumer digital health company that empowers people with chronic conditions to live a better life”. Key members of the company’s team include Glen Tullman (CEO) and Jennifer Schneider (Chief Medical Officer).
The company’s About page describes how its leadership team is comprised of executives with proven experience are notable healthcare companies like Allscripts, Castlight, GE Healthcare, and the American Diabetes Association.
Livongo is based in Mountain View, California. In March 2017, the company announced a $52 million funding road that it will use to expand beyond diabetes into other conditions. The company also plans to expand its rules engine from 10,000 rules to more than 100,000 rules, providing a more personalized experience.
Stay tuned for more information about Livongo as the platform continues to expand across the United States and worldwide.
