STUTTGART, GERMANY – Bethesda Hospital in Stuttgart, Germany, is using digital pen technology to help diabetes patients manage the illness.

Hospital officials say the technology will help patients address long-term complications associated with the disease at an earlier stage. The pen is used with a telemedicine system called DiabCareOnline, developed by Germany-based Ontaris.

By combining the digital pen, developed by Sweden's Anoto, with the Accu Chek Aviva blood glucose meter from Roche Diagnostics and a mobile phone, the patient is able to share medical information with physicians throughout the hospital.

From the patient’s point of view, hospital officials say, the monitoring process is the same: They measure their blood sugar with the meter and fill in their patient diaries. But they use a digital pen, which captures handwritten notes and converts the data into digital format.

Both the glucose meter and the Anoto digital pen are Bluetooth-enabled. Anoto officials said the capability can be leveraged to transmit data via a mobile phone to the patient’s electronic health record. The readings are then compared to the patient’s specific blood sugar targets.

By having health data on hand, Anoto officials said health issues can be addressed much more quickly. With much of the data analysis being handled remotely, physicians can reduce the amount of time diabetic patients spend with care providers, lowering the cost of care.