Study Finds Workplace Productivity Solution for Seniors with T2D

One Drop announced analyses from a randomized control trial (RCT) on the impact of its digital health platform on workplace productivity among people with type 2 diabetes, published in the Journal of Occupational Environmental Medicine (JOEM).

Per the company's findings, employees using One Drop experienced significant productivity and functioning gains and were less likely to experience presenteeism at follow-up compared to control groups.

Six in 10 Americans live with at least one chronic condition, and many go to work—virtually or in person—regardless of acute illness or nagging symptoms. Known as presenteeism, working at minimal capacity due to health problems correlates to a 33% average reduction in individual productivity and $1,500 billion in related employer costs.

While few randomized controlled trials have shown mHealth applications for condition management to affect workplace productivity (presenteeism), the present study indicates the One Drop platform is an economical solution yielding substantial benefits for adults with type 2 diabetes. Most significantly, employees aged 50 and older using One Drop saved 8% of their time at work and 17% of on-the-job productivity, equating to $422 and $12,733 in average worker savings per year, respectively.

"A healthy and productive workforce is critical for economic success and population health. Leaders who recognize this vital connection are investing in technology, like One Drop, that helps people function better day-to-day at work—where the average employee spends a third of their life", said Jeff Dachis, CEO and founder of One Drop. "When combined with established clinical, psychological, and behavioral outcomes, productivity gains paint a complete picture of how our predictive health platform positively impacts all aspects of someone's life—at home, at work, and beyond."

The One Drop platform combines connected medical devices, an AI-powered mobile app, and one-on-one coaching with certified diabetes care and education specialists (CDCES) to empower people with chronic conditions to stay healthy. More than 20 peer-reviewed clinical studies demonstrate One Drop's results and clinical strengths, including improved health outcomes (e.g., 1.9% reduction in estimated A1C in three months, lower systolic blood pressure, average nine-pound weight loss) and direct per-person annual cost savings.

The latest RCT results suggest One Drop may also enable better day-to-day functioning for adults managing diabetes. Possible reasons include reduction of treatment-related burnout, removal of health-related stress or distractions, and increased concentration and energy.

To date, One Drop has aggregated more than 42 billion longitudinal health data points from approximately 1.5 million installed members worldwide. The precision health company uses this wealth of data to train the proprietary machine learning algorithms behind its predictive features, including CE-marked eight-hour glucose forecasts—now linked to improved engagement and diabetes outcomes.