Measuring your blood sugar at home for patients with diabetes is the most natural thing in the world. For people with a bipolar disorder taking lithium medication, the situation is different when it comes to measuring its values. They now usually need a referral before their lithium level and kidney function (Kreatinine) can be checked and after visiting the laboratory they have to wait a few days for the results.
The point of care measurement with the Medimate changes this. Josien Gerritsen wrote about this in PlusMinus – the magazine for patients with a bipolar disorder in the Netherlands – in the September 2021 edition.
She talked to Jolanda about it. A patient who tested the Medimate at home for two years in a pilot. Before starting this pilot, she considered stopping her lithium medication. During the test period, she experienced how she manages to maintain more control over the quality of her life with small adjustments to her medication.
Josien also spoke for this article with specialized mental health nurse Ingrid Knipping about her experiences with the Medimate in ambulatory (elderly) care.
And with Steven Staal, director of Fisic. The company that developed the Medimate and is still working on being able to measure more blood values from a finger prick of blood. And all this on location and without the intervention of a laboratory.
The whole article can be read here.