Onduo Looks to Personalize Care with Weight Loss, Hypertension, and Mental Health

By Karena Yan, Gabby Mitchell, and Albert Cai

The virtual diabetes program Onduo provides individual coaching, technology, and other health tools for a range of conditions. The platform is available in Spanish, with culturally specific content and care.

Onduo, a virtual diabetes management program, recently announced that it has expanded its offerings to include weight loss, hypertension (high blood pressure), and mental health care – in addition to its existing type 2 diabetes and prediabetes programs. The newest care options will be available to all members managing one or more of these conditions. 

The expanded health offerings build upon the type 2 diabetes and prediabetes care already available on the platform – which includes individual coaching, telehealth care visits, smart glucose tracking tools (either a blood glucose meter with unlimited test strips or a continuous glucose monitor), and data logging and glucose insights in the Onduo app. Onduo is provided by insurance plans and employers, often at no cost for participants. Check your health plan to see if Onduo’s services are covered for you.  

For each health program, Onduo will provide personal digital coaching and recommendations, as well as condition-specific support. For example, individuals in Onduo’s hypertension management program will receive insights from smart blood pressure cuffs and digital support for exercise, diet, and stress management. Individuals in the weight loss program will receive a wireless digital scale, an app for tracking food and activity, coaching from registered dieticians, and peer and group resources.   

Each of Onduo’s programs will also be available in Spanish, through both the app and virtual care, and health recommendations will include culturally specific content. 

The platform is also launching a “digital phenotyping” tool, which allows Onduo to create personal care plans for members. Built by Onduo’s parent company Verily, the tool will join an individual’s data from the device, medication, and platform interactions to evaluate their profile and inform treatment. This “digital phenotype” will evolve with the patient’s needs and data, allowing the Onduo care team to provide personal care in real-time through messaging, telemedicine, and medication adjustments. 

Why is Onduo’s expansion important for people with diabetes?

People with diabetes have a higher likelihood of developing complications such as depression, chronic kidney disease, high blood pressure, and heart disease. In fact, people with type 2 diabetes have rates of anxiety and depression as much as 123% higher than people without diabetes. Programs that address multiple chronic conditions and can help prevent the progression of complications are crucial for people with diabetes. “Coming to market with a whole person approach solution and not ignoring the mental and behavioral aspect is critical,” says Onduo CEO, Dr. Vindell Washington. 

“The more data we can gather passively, the more we're going to find areas to intervene and be helpful…if I had enough information, I could alert a person with diabetes that something could change in your behavior to keep you on a path that's better for you,” Dr. Washington explains.