ABSTRACT
This article discusses the future direction of insulin pump technology and its relationship to the software update process. A user needs analysis revealed that respondents wanted an insulin pump software update process to function much in the same way as smartphone updates. Users of insulin pumps have the same expectations as with other ubiquitous technology such as smartphones, tablets, and laptops. The development of a software update system within a regulated environment that meets the needs of insulin pump users by allowing optional software updates that provide access to pump improvements, feature additions, or access to algorithms that provide therapy-changing technologies is a new way forward for the management of a complicated disease that affects more than 450,000 people using insulin pumps in the United States.
Subject(s)
Algorithms , Diabetes Mellitus/drug therapy , Insulin Infusion Systems , Software , Adult , Aged , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Patient Education as Topic/methods , Patient Satisfaction , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to determine if there were usability and training differences between the Medtronic MiniMed Paradigm Revel Insulin Pump and the Tandem Diabetes Care t:slim Insulin Pump during use by representative users, performing representative tasks, in a simulated use environment. This study utilized a between-subjects experimental design with a total of 72 participants from 5 sites across the United States. Study participants were randomized to either the Revel pump group or the t:slim Pump group. Participants were 18 years of age or older and managed their diabetes using multiple daily insulin injections. Dependent variables included training time, training satisfaction, time on task, task failures, System Usability Scale (SUS) ratings, perceived task difficulty, and a pump survey that measured different aspects of the pumps and training sessions. There was a statistically significant difference in training times and error rates between the t:slim and Revel groups. The training time difference represented a 27% reduction in time to train on the t:slim versus the Revel pump. There was a 65% reduction in participants' use error rates between the t:slim and the Revel group. The t:slim Pump had statistically significant training and usability advantages over the Revel pump. The reduction in training time may have been a result of an optimized information architecture, an intuitive navigational layout, and an easy-to-read screen. The reduction in use errors with the t:slim may have been a result of dynamic error handling and active confirmation screens, which may have prevented programming errors.
Subject(s)
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1/drug therapy , Insulin Infusion Systems , User-Computer Interface , Adult , Aged , Blood Glucose/analysis , Humans , Hypoglycemic Agents/administration & dosage , Insulin/administration & dosage , Male , Middle AgedABSTRACT
Costs of accidents make up an important part of the total external cost of traffic. A substantial proportion of accident costs is related to fatal accidents. In the evaluation of fatal accident costs the availability of an estimate of the economic value of a statistical life is pivotal. We present an overview of the empirical literature on the value of statistical life in road safety (VOSL), and use meta-analysis to determine variables that explain the variation in VOSL estimates reported in the literature. We show that the magnitude of VOSL estimates depends on the value assessment approach (particularly, stated versus revealed preference), and for contingent valuation studies also on the type of payment vehicle and elicitation format. We explain that VOSL estimates cannot simply be averaged over studies. The magnitude of VOSL is intrinsically linked to the initial level of the risk of being caught up in a fatal traffic accident and to the risk decline implied by the research set-up.
