A significant majority of the Spanish population – 91% – supports integrating health technology into the National Health System (SNS) to improve diabetes care, according to a new study. However, the research also reveals that only one in four Spaniards feels they have a high level of understanding of the condition itself.
The findings, presented Tuesday in Madrid, are based on a study conducted by beBartlet using Cluster17 methodology. The study highlights the importance of equitable access to health technology, with 87% of citizens believing patients should easily be able to utilize these tools to enhance the quality of their healthcare. This comes as diabetes rates continue to rise globally, making effective management and preventative care increasingly crucial.
However, 90% of those surveyed believe the quality of care varies depending on geographic location or the level of healthcare access. When asked what should be prioritized for access, 1,847 respondents aged 18 and older indicated that access should be based on patient needs rather than the autonomous community in which they reside. The study found that 78% of respondents believe preventing and detecting the disease early should be the primary focus, while slightly more than half (55%) emphasized the importance of access to personalized treatments. A further concern for those surveyed was increased investment in the SNS.
78% of respondents believe preventing and detecting diabetes early should be the primary focus
“This study provides a very accurate snapshot of what Spanish society thinks, and should encourage a public debate, of quality, and prompt the SNS to promote measures to improve diabetes care,” said Gabriel San Miguel Rodríguez, Director of Science and Wellbeing at beBartlet.
Raquel García Gordon, General Director of Dexcom Iberia, added, “If there is one thing that can craft the healthcare system sustainable, It’s prevention, and technology contributes to this. But a paradigm shift is needed in the public system.” She pointed to the current public procurement model as an obstacle to greater technology access, describing it as “slow and bureaucratic” in contrast to the rapid pace of technological development. “autonomous communities continue to fund outdated innovation.”
Alfredo Ledesma, a member of the Board of Directors of the Spanish Diabetes Federation (FEDE), also criticized what he described as “a feeling of injustice” experienced by patients due to a lack of empowerment regarding their condition and limited access to clear information.
“From FEDE, we are clear that if people with diabetes and representatives are well-trained and informed about how purchases and tenders are made, we talk to hospital managers and know how they count on us, and we demand our needs, inequalities will be reduced,” Ledesma argued.
The study will also be presented at the national Diabetes Experience Day, supporting the necessary debate to transform this evidence into real measures to improve the quality of life for people with diabetes, according to its organizers.
AI: more support with more evidence
The survey, ‘What does Spanish society expect from the approach to diabetes?’, was conducted online over two days in November among residents of Spain aged 18 and over. It also revealed a growing utilize of artificial intelligence (AI)-based tools to improve health management. One-third of respondents reported already using these tools, while another third expressed interest in starting to do so. The increasing adoption of AI in healthcare reflects a broader trend toward patient-centered and technology-driven health solutions.
Regarding diabetes specifically, three out of four (75%) respondents trust AI to manage their condition. This trust is divided between those who are fully convinced of its use (32%) and those who express intermediate confidence (44%). “There are still challenges, and there is still a necessitate to educate people about how to use AI,” San Miguel observed.
While most Spaniards trust AI to manage their diabetes, 23% condition its integration into the SNS on having more scientific evidence
Concerning the SNS, 60% support the use of AI in management and healthcare, but nearly one in four (23%) conditions this on having more scientific evidence, while 13% believe public health systems should not integrate these tools.
Josep Vehi, Director of the Universitat de Girona (UdG)-Dexcom Chair, Professor at UdG, and associate researcher at the Girona Biomedical Research Institute, believes AI can be key to addressing current problems, such as improving public knowledge about diabetes. The presented study suggests that three out of four people consider the information they receive about diabetes to be deficient.
At the same time, AI could help healthcare professionals and the system as a whole, “evaluating and measuring” where bottlenecks exist, among other aspects. Vehi lamented that digital health and new technologies are not yet a mandatory part of the subjects taken by medical students in Spain.
