BILLINGS - New technology, called Omnipod 5, is working to make the life of a diabetes patient easier with pods that autogenerate insulin and connect to an app on the patient's phone so that insulin levels can be tracked.
Diabetes has been a part of Kasadi Fishburn's entire life. First as a type one patient, and now as a nurse at St. Vincent Healthcare.
"It's a chronic 24/7, never-ending job because you get to play your pancreas 24/7," Fishburn said.
Fishburn knows firsthand the challenges her patients face daily when trying to maintain healthy levels of insulin.
But now, with a new option called Omnipod 5, it's getting easier.
“So previously, say I ate breakfast, and I was going into work, I would look and I would see how much insulin I have on board," Fishburn said. "Now, my pump is doing that for me, and it reduces that stress of making sure I’m not going low while I’m at work."
The Omnipod 5 is tubeless and limits the number of injections for patients. It also can be placed in multiple locations on the body, such as the arm, thigh, or abdomen.
There is also a phone application that connects to the pod and tracks the patient's levels of insulin.
The patient could pull out their phone, see that they're low, and increase their uptake at the press of a button.
Megan Strickland — the Clinical Nurse for Omnipod in Montana — says part of what makes her job so special is being able to help patients of all ages.
“Just to be part of new technology and seeing so many people excited about it," Strickland said. "Kiddos all the way up to any age of adults. People are truly excited to have this."
For Fishburn, the new device is life-changing for both her and her patients.
"It's the best thing ever," Fishburn said. "It's really helped in all aspects of my life."
And that's why Strickland is trying to get it into as many hands as possible.
“You can catch them years into being diagnosed and provide them something that is going to hopefully help them," Strickland said. "And that in itself is life-changing."
