Table 1.

Improvements to the Confidant System

Problem areas identified by phase I	Improvements in the Confidant system
1. The accelerometer device was very difficult to use: The user interface was ungainly The batteries did not last very long The device tended to pop out of its case and get lost	1. The accelerometer device used in the phase I trial is not being used in the new product. For phase II, a good quality pedometer will be used. The daily step count will be entered by the patient manually.
2. The message(s) did not contain enough useful information: They were rudimentary and unintuitive The messages only commented on patient compliance with using the system Clinicians did not have the ability to provide subjective questions for patients to answer	2. (a and b) The message display interface has been redesigned. It now presents the following three feedback screens: Graphical response screen A graphical response screen displays average reading and adherence values. Text messages Text messages provide customized informational and motivational feedback. History Several views of patient's historic data are now available. (c) Confidant now provides customizable questions that can be configured by the clinician and displayed to the patient during the data collection process. The patient's responses are transmitted to the server for storage, along with monitoring data.
3. The product was available in English only.	3. The product in phase II will be translated into Spanish, both linguistically and culturally.
4. The Confidant connector device was too large	4. Confidant has redesigned the connector. The new device is significantly smaller and fits inside a typical soft case that can also hold the glucose meter and supplies. The cable is smaller and less obtrusive.