Sweet Success Story: How One Phone Call Helped a Patient Cut Hypoglycemia by 80%

When Katie, a woman in her 50s with type 2 diabetes and diabetic kidney disease, joined her provider’s SweetSpot program for remote CGM monitoring, she had no idea she was spending 17% of her time in a state of hypoglycemia — dangerously low blood sugar. Even more concerning, she wasn’t feeling or reporting symptoms, and had no idea this wasn’t normal. 

However, with SweetSpot’s dashboard and clinical team keeping an eye on her data, Katie got the support she needed and saw immediate improvement — without having to wait for her next visit. 

How SweetSpot’s CGM monitoring flagged dangerous lows 

SweetSpot combines a centralized software platform for managing diabetes device data, such as data from CGMs and insulin pumps, with wrap-around clinical support services. SweetSpot’s virtual team of Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (CDCES) perform monthly CGM data reviews and coordinate with providers and patients to facilitate treatment plan changes. By actively managing and remotely reviewing CGM data between patient visits, SweetSpot ensures that patients receive timely treatment adjustments to improve glycemic management and patient outcomes. 

SweetSpot’s clinical priority system — built to flag patients who need immediate attention— surfaced Katie’s case for review on our dashboard. Her CGM data showed 16% of time spent low and 1% very low. And while she hadn’t reached out to her care team proactively with any concerns, her numbers spoke volumes. 

A diabetes educator on the SweetSpot team took a closer look. Reviewing her chart and glucose trends, the educator suspected her insulin use might be off — and a quick phone call confirmed it. 

How Insulin Misuse Led to Hypoglycemia — and What We Did About It 

Katie had been prescribed both basal and bolus insulin but misunderstood how and when to take them. She adjusted her doses based on what she felt made sense, not realizing that insulin has specific timing and action profiles. She was taking variable amounts of both insulins depending on her glucose values in the moment, often skipping meal-based dosing altogether. 

In just 20 minutes over the phone, the CDCES provided tailored education: 

• Reviewed the differences between basal and bolus insulin, including their action and timing 

• Explained why consistency in basal dosing matters 

• Clarified how and when to take Humalog in relation to meals 

• Taught the patient to use her Libre app to log fingersticks and insulin doses for better data visibility 

• Shared strategies to prevent and manage hypoglycemia 

Lowering Hypoglycemia from 16% to 3% with Remote Diabetes Education 

The very next day, Katie’s hypoglycemia events dropped significantly. By the one-week follow-up call — a quick 7-minute check-in — her time spent in hypoglycemia had plummeted from 16% to just 3%, and her Time in Range (TIR) had climbed from 81% to 93%. 

More than the data, her confidence grew. After initially being hard to reach, Katie answered on the first ring for her follow-up call. She was more engaged and expressed feeling empowered for the first time in managing her diabetes. 

The Power of Remote Patient Monitoring to Prevent Hypoglycemia in Diabetes 

This is what SweetSpot is all about. Our program creates meaningful, proactive touchpoints between visits, led by real clinical expertise. Without SweetSpot’s flagging system, Katie would likely have continued unknowingly living in a danger zone  — possibly facing a serious event before her next appointment, still months away. 

As the SweetSpot CDCES who helped turn things around shared: 

“If the patient had not been enrolled in the SweetSpot program, she likely would have continued to live in a danger zone of increased hypoglycemia or experienced a sentinel event prior to her next scheduled office visit.” 

It wasn’t a complicated intervention. It was a 20-minute conversation and a bit of focused education. But that made all the difference. 

Interested in what impact SweetSpot can have on your patients? Reach out to us at info@sweetspot.com.  

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SweetSpot partners with endocrinology practices to provide virtual CGM monitoring and enhanced patient care.

SweetSpot combines a centralized software platform for managing diabetes device data, such as data from CGMs and insulin pumps, with wrap-around clinical support services. SweetSpot’s virtual team of Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (CDCES) perform monthly CGM data reviews and coordinate with providers and patients to facilitate treatment plan changes. By actively managing and remotely reviewing CGM data between patient visits, we ensure patients receive timely treatment adjustments to improve glycemic control and patient outcomes.

Additionally, SweetSpot’s automated capture of reimbursable care events optimizes CPT code utilization, unlocking new revenue streams for practices and making our partnerships both clinically effective and financially profitable.