In this study, we wanted to compare treatment satisfaction with a tubeless insulin delivery system (Omnipod DASH® Insulin Management System) to usual therapy with either multiple daily injections (MDI) or tubed insulin pump therapy (IPT) in people with type 1 diabetes who were monitoring glucose levels through fingerstick blood glucose. We had 65 participants complete the study between 2021 and 2023.

In this study, 33 participants were randomised to use the Omnipod DASH System for 12 weeks and 32 participants were randomised to continue their usual insulin delivery modality. In comparison to participants who continued their usual means of diabetes management, participants who used the Omnipod DASH System found that they had greater satisfaction with this insulin delivery device related to its convenience, ease of use, and efficacy. They were also less distressed by their diabetes and had improvements in their blood glucose levels with better HbA1c. Importantly, fear of hypoglycaemia and sleep quality were not compromised with these positive outcomes.

At the end of the study, participants were invited to participate in the extension phase, where all of them used the Omnipod DASH System. 30 participants from each group consented to participate. Consistent findings were observed for participants who used the device for 12 weeks, who experienced greater treatment satisfaction and lower diabetes distress with the Omnipod DASH System. For participants using the device for a total of 24 weeks, their treatment satisfaction was maintained and they spent more time within the recommended blood glucose range.

Participants were interviewed after they had used the Omnipod DASH System for 12 weeks and reported that the device helped them keep better control over their blood glucose and made their diabetes easier to manage, especially during exercise and while sleeping. The discreetness of the device provided them with the freedom of choice to conceal or disclose their diabetes to others. Although being attached to the device and its alarms made it uncomfortable for some participants, particularly those who have been using multiple daily injections prior to the study, they felt that it would be preferably to a tubed insulin pump. Financial cost of the Omnipod DASH System was consistently reported as a disincentive to continuing its use after the study because it was not yet subsidised in Australia at that stage. Despite this, majority of participants preferred using the Omnipod DASH System and would recommend it to other with type 1 diabetes. These results of this study will help inform the utility of tubeless insulin delivery for automated insulin delivery systems.