If you had a phone that could collect and transmit your child's blood sugar readings to his or her doctor, would you use it? That is the question many parents of children with type 1 were asked in a recent study. Over two-thirds of the parents surveyed had a "very positive" response to the proposed mobile phone prototype. More than half of parents expressed interest in signing up for a service of this kind.

The incentive for this type of technology and service seems tied to the unmet needs of parents for more access to and information from their healthcare provider to effectively manage their child's diabetes. Of those surveyed:

• 85% wanted shorter waiting times for appointments
• 78% would like easier phone access to their physician
• 78% would also like the option to contact their physician by email

The researchers conclude that the strong response from parents for this type of technology indicates a gap in the medical system to effectively help parents manage their child's diabetes.

Of course, this type of technology is not limited to children with type 1 but could also be used for adults with diabetes. The question for you: If this technology and related service were available to you now, would you use it? If so, what would you find helpful about this technology? If not, why not? Post your responses below.

A similar question was recently posed to nearly 200 primary care physicians and 100 endocrinologists. Nearly one-third of those physicians surveyed indicated they did not have enough time and did not receive sufficient reimbursement to provide comprehensive care to their patients with diabetes. A whopping 83% of physicians surveyed said Medicaid reimbursement was inadequate, while 67% said private insurance reimbursement was inadequate.

It takes time to educate patients about diabetes. And time is money. If doctors are not being reimbursed for their time educating patients, many of them are simply not going to go beyond the necessities. Yet, there is so much more to diabetes management than checking blood sugar or correctly drawing and injecting insulin. What about dietary concerns, creating an exercise program, learning to cope with depression or lack of social support or addressing lifestyle habits such as smoking or stress? These all directly relate to diabetes management.

So, what are your thoughts? Do you think you are getting the time and education you need from your doctor and his or her staff? If not, what are the areas you need more help with? Post your comments below.

Most of the talk these days revolves around plans for travel, food and family. But the holidays can also be a time of sadness and loneliness for many who are estranged from family or who have lost loved ones recently. Depression is also more common in the winter months when there is less sunlight and more confinement indoors.

Depression also affects blood sugar and can acts as a barrier to effective diabetes management. The good news is that there are ways to combat holiday depression and stay on track with your diabetes management. If you are not certain whether you are depressed, take this quick self-inventory.

If you would like to share some of your perspective on holiday depression, post your comments below.

As the healthcare reform debate rages on you may be interested in reading a new report called Preventing and Treating Diabetes: Health Insurance Reform and Diabetes in America.

The report brings to light some statistics that need to be kept in mind as health reform is debated. For example, a person with diabetes spends, on average, $11,744 per year on medical expenditure, more than twice what a person without diabetes would spend.

In introducing the report, Health and Human Resources (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said: "Americans with diabetes are suffering in our current health care system. Health insurance reform will help ensure these Americans can get the prescription drugs and supplies they need and bring down premiums so all Americans can have high-quality, affordable health insurance."

Time will tell whether the reforms that are eventually passed will accomplish these much needed initiatives. For the time being, read the report and post your comments below.

Prescription Assistance Programs - Financial Help for Diabetes Supplies

November is diabetes month and this Saturday, November 14 is World Diabetes Day. The purpose of marking both a month and day each year is to raise awareness of diabetes in the general public. Despite the fact that nearly everyone has heard of diabetes, few understand the condition well. Unfortunately, this includes a significant number who have been diagnosed with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Here are just a few facts about diabetes from the American Diabetes Association that may help raise your awareness of how serious a condition it is:

• Approximately 23.6 million children and adults in the U.S. have diabetes. That represents almost 8% of the population.
• About one in every 400-600 children and adolescents has type 1 diabetes.
• Total cost of treating those diagnosed with diabetes is estimated at $176 billion each year.

Heightened awareness should not scare us but lead to action. For those with diabetes, this means practicing good glucose management. For health care professionals it means increased efforts at education. For lawmakers it means more funding for research and better healthcare options for those with diabetes.

What is your action point for better managing your diabetes? Post your comments below or post them in the type 1 discussion forum at the link below.

I write this on the day following the narrow passage of the latest health care reform in the House. The word from the media is that this same bill is expected to encounter stiff opposition in the Senate. While the lawmakers battle it out, I'd like to hear from you.

What kind of health care reform do you need (if any) that relates to diabetes? Put another way: If you could change health care insurance coverage in a way that would give you better coverage for your diabetes supplies, doctor's visits and even preventative education and care, what would you want to see change?

Post your responses below.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a notice on October 27 that all Accusure Insulin Syringes were being voluntarily recalled by the manufacturer, Qualitest Pharmaceuticals.

The syringes may have needles that could detach during use causing the needle to remain in the skin after injection or become lodged in the insulin vial.

If you have any of these syringes, available from January 2002 to October 2009, you should stop using them and contact Qualitest at 1-800-444-4011 for reimbursement.

Read the complete press release

In a recent pre-clinical trial, new technology was successful in measuring glucose levels by using eye-scanning technology. The scan is painless and non-invasive and takes five minutes to complete.

The animal-based clinical trial involved rabbits and proved to be very accurate with an error margin that was even better than glucose readings derived from the traditional finger-stick tests.

The company that has developed this technology, Freedom Meditech, plans to move forward with additional animal studies and present the findings to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for approval to test the eye scan in human clinical trials.

If the technology proves reliable and cost-effective, it could become an alternative to finger-stick blood tests. But, if you've followed diabetes research for any length of time, you also know that many non-invasive technologies have shown initial promise only to falter along the way. Stay tuned for updates as they become available.

The press release is available at the Freedom Meditech site.

• Getting Started with Glucose Monitoring

• What You Should Know About Choosing a Glucose Meter

• What Your HbA1c Test Tells You