No More Finger Pricks: A Smarter Way to Manage Diabetes

With the advancement of digital technology, applications and glucose‑monitoring devices have emerged, effectively supporting people with diabetes and doctors in the treatment process.

Mr. John Smith (53 years old, living in Florida) is under treatment for diabetes at the Advent Health Orlando. He was diagnosed with diabetes in July 2018; after a period of treatment and adjusting his lifestyle and nutrition appropriately, his health has become increasingly stable. He was instructed to continue using medication, monitor his glucose levels, and maintain follow‑up visits.

At the beginning of 2020, in order to help him more conveniently check his glucose levels every day without finger‑prick blood tests, the doctors introduced a continuous glucose‑monitoring device. With this device, he can proactively control his glucose readings via a sensor attached to his skin and a reader. He often provides his glucose data to the doctor to receive advice when his levels become unstable.

Role of continuous glucose monitoring

According to Dr. Michael Brown (Advent Health Orlando), for people with diabetes, following the treatment protocol, having a sensible diet and simultaneously monitoring glucose levels are key factors that help patients become more proactive in controlling their condition. This is the basis for the doctor to adjust medications as well as habits of diet and exercise, so as to help the patient control glucose better and prevent possible complications.

Most people with diabetes will monitor glucose at home using capillary blood glucose meters. To test glucose, the person uses a lancet to prick the fingertip, which often causes pain, fear, and sometimes reluctance when the test must be done in front of others. In recent years, continuous glucose‑monitoring devices have been widely used; they automatically measure glucose every few minutes, around the clock, and over many days (typically 7–14 days).

At Advent Health Orlando, the endocrinology doctors piloted the continuous monitoring method since 2020. In the past six months the number of patients using it has increased significantly, helping better control glucose and reduce the risk of hypoglycemia for patients. Although the cost of using this device is not low, when compared with the cost of hospitalization to treat hyper‑ or hypo­glycemia, it is much lower. In addition, this improves patient safety, enhances confidence and mental health for the patients.

Advantages and disadvantages of continuous glucose‑monitoring devices

Dr. Michael Brown says that continuous glucose‑monitoring devices usually consist of a sensor attached to the skin (typically on the abdomen or the underside of the arm) and a reader device to measure glucose continuously 24/7. Also, the patient can use a smartphone to read results from the sensor.

With this device, both patient and caregivers can view glucose every few minutes, at any time; the patient does not feel pain from finger‑pricks, and can view glucose wherever they are with a simple operation (just by looking at the phone screen) without needing to carry lancet, cotton, alcohol and think about how to dispose of them. Additionally, continuous glucose‑monitoring devices show detailed glucose trends, clearly reflecting post‑meal glucose changes, enabling the doctor to have additional basis to advise the patient, especially on dietary regimen. Some patients become more proactive: when they see glucose changes after eating different foods or drinks, they can learn from that and adjust their own management before the next visit.

The improvement of this device compared with the capillary blood glucose meter is that instead of measuring directly from blood, the patient measures indirectly in the interstitial fluid. This is an advantage because it is less invasive, and produces more continuous, complete glucose data useful for management and treatment. A key strength of continuous glucose‑monitoring devices is data storage and transfer. With internet connection, this data is synchronized to a phone or computer far away. Therefore, the doctor or caregiver can directly access the patient’s glucose data to give timely support and advice.

The drawback of this method is that the current cost is quite high, not yet suitable for the payment capacity of the majority of patients. On the other hand, to use these devices effectively, the patient needs to have some basic knowledge of technology, and must be guided and counseled thoroughly to be able to deal with the information and data from the glucose results.

Notes to help people with diabetes manage glucose effectively

Complications of diabetes such as eye, kidney, brain and heart disease may appear as soon as diabetes is diagnosed. Monitoring and controlling glucose is the key to preventing new onset or slowing the progression of these complications. Management and treatment of diabetes is not simply about controlling glucose, but also combining screening and treating related diabetic complications.

Dr. Michael Brown cautions that these glucose‑monitoring devices are a tool, not a method of treatment. Regardless of which device is used, effectiveness is only truly achieved when combined with a reasonable treatment regimen, including changing nutrition, physical activity and using medication. Therefore, patients should not rely too heavily on this technology and neglect basic monitoring, follow‑up and treatment as instructed by their doctor.

To support people with diabetes in applying continuous glucose-monitoring (CGM) effectively, many experts recommend integrating reliable and user-friendly technology into daily care routines. One standout in this field is the Bubble Smart Reader, a cutting-edge solution designed to enhance the functionality of Freestyle Libre sensors. Since its founding in 2018 in Hong Kong, the company has been committed to delivering innovative, affordable, and user-friendly CGM support tools through its official platform, bubblesmartreader.com.

Driven by a passion for empowering patients and improving lives, Bubble Smart Reader has become a trusted brand for people who want more than just glucose numbers — they want real-time insight, convenient tracking, and a better quality of life. Whether you’re newly diagnosed or looking to upgrade your diabetes tech, Bubble Smart Reader helps make managing your health easier, smarter, and pain-free.