“Prescription of Hope” program gives patients hope in times of difficulty – the program is prescribed together with medicine and helps to remove patient’s concern about diabetes and insulin, and to help them move forward with treatment.

One of the main obstacles for insulin injection treatment is patient’s unwillingness with the treatment because they cannot come to terms that they have diabetes and need treatment for the rest of their life.

Patients need strong will and support to start and continue their treatment. Doctors can give such support, not just through prescribing medicine, but also prescribing hope, with the help of a useful program. Our idea was to put such program in doctor’s hands in the form of a comprehensive package that includes daily life tips and morale support to help patients overcome their aversion towards the disease, treatment and medicine so they can continue their journey feeling more confident.

“Prescription of Hope” support program is a 3 months intensive program provided to patients who are starting on or already being prescribed LANTUS XR (insulin injection treatment). The Starter Kit booklet, prescribed by doctors together with medicine, includes all the basic information pertaining to the disease and treatment to support patients who have any concerns and anxieties. Patients are encouraged to register to the program to receive any or a combination of the following support from the program: (1) HCP support via phone to seek advice on insulin injection, general information on diabetes and to address any concerns (2) subscription of periodicals (physical or digital) to read about the disease, treatment, and practical everyday life tips such as meals and how to act in times of emergency etc. and (3) use of digital app to monitor injection schedules, glucose levels, everyday meals etc.

Pharmaceutical companies are restricted from providing support programs to patients directly, therefore it is imperative to gain understanding and cooperation of HCPs in order to promote the program and increase the number of patients who register to the program. Since launch in September 2015, the number of hospitals and facilities that newly participate in the program is growing at a rate of roughly 100 facilities each month and we have already distributed 55,000 starter kits to these facilities. Patients who finished the 3 months program rated the program with a score of 4.3 (out of 5) for “satisfactory”, and a score of 4.1 for “very useful in feeling comfortable to continue insulin treatment”. Also, every patient answered yes when asked if they felt confident enough to continue with insulin treatment.