Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) have become a standard of care in diabetes management, providing real-time data that helps both patients and providers make informed decisions. Excitingly, they have also enabled forward-thinking practices to adopt a more proactive approach to diabetes care, including remote CGM monitoring.
However, despite their many benefits, physical challenges can sometimes interfere with their use, preventing patients from consistently wearing their devices and transmitting crucial data to their providers. Fortunately, there are solutions to help patients overcome these obstacles and maintain uninterrupted CGM use for a successful remote monitoring program.
SweetSpot is offering a free webinar where we will walk through best practices for remote CGM monitoring, covering topics such as billing and patient cost. You can register here to attend live or receive the recording.
Common physical issues that impact CGM use
Problem: The Sensor Falls Off
A CGM sensor may dislodge before its intended wear period (typically 10-14 days), causing frustration and gaps in data transmission.
Solution:
Instruct patients to place a new sensor on, if they have one available, and request a replacement sensor from the manufacturer. If a sensor falls off early, manufacturers often provide a new one at no cost, without affecting insurance coverage.
Recommend products that improve sensor adhesion, such as Skin-Tac (a liquid adhesive), Simpatch, or Overpatch (protective patches) to help secure the sensor more effectively in the future.
Problem: Skin Irritation or Allergic Reactions
Some patients experience redness, itching, or irritation at the sensor site, leading them to take breaks from wearing their CGM.
Solution:
Encourage patients to try barrier products like UnderPatch or Tegaderm to protect the skin while still allowing sensor use.
If irritation persists, consider sending a prescription for an alternative sensor or discussing different site placements with the patient. CPT code 99454 covers the automated collection of physiologic data, including glucose data collected through SweetSpot.
How providers can help patients prevent skin reactions from their CGM
Proper site preparation can reduce the risk of skin irritation and improve sensor adherence. Providers can instruct patients to follow these steps:
Wash hands thoroughly.
Clean the insertion site with an alcohol wipe. Ensure the skin is free from dirt, lotions, or oils.
Allow the skin to dry completely before inserting the sensor.
Rotate insertion sites to prevent skin damage:
For insulin pumps: Change sites every 2-3 days.
For CGMs: Rotate sites every 10-14 days and place new sensors at least 2-3 inches away from previous sites.
Choose a flat area with minimal skin folds, avoiding scars, moles, tattoos, and stretch marks that can interfere with sensor function.
How SweetSpot ensures seamless CGM monitoring
At SweetSpot, we understand the importance of continuous and accurate CGM data for effective diabetes management. To implement a successful remote monitoring program for CGMs, it's critical that data is consistently flowing from your patients to your practice.
With SweetSpot, you’ll be alerted when a patient experiences an interruption in data sharing between appointments, whether that’s because they stopped wearing their sensor or for a variety of other reasons. Our team will then proactively contact your patients to troubleshoot device issues with them, allowing you to focus on patient care and make the most of in-person visits. In fact, one of our practice partners saved 17 hours per week on device troubleshooting by using SweetSpot (read more here).
For more insights on overcoming CGM challenges, read our related article: "11 Reasons Why Your Patient’s Diabetes Device Data Isn’t Syncing."
We are also hosting a free webinar on best practices for implementing a remote monitoring program for CGMs at your practice. Register here to join live or access the recording after the event.
SweetSpot is a remote diabetes management platform that supports all major diabetes devices and insulin delivery systems to provide physicians with a single view of their patients’ data. SweetSpot's intelligent algorithm identifies the most optimal CPT codes for both remote and in-person diabetes management, and a dedicated team of Certified Diabetes Care & Education Specialists provide ongoing support.
As a company founded and powered by physicians and diabetes care providers, we place a strong emphasis on ensuring that there are no obstacles to getting started with SweetSpot. That’s why SweetSpot is easy to set up and designed to seamlessly integrate into your existing workflows and comes with no setup costs or subscription fees.
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