1. Could you please introduce yourself and your role in DigiCare4You?
METEDA SRL (MTD) is an Italian digital health company, active since 2002, specialised in certified Software Medical Devices for the management of diabetes, nutrition and other chronic conditions such as hypertension, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and COPD. The company designs, develops and delivers innovative software and hardware solutions in medicine, telemedicine and lifestyle, enhanced by dedicated post-market services. It is the Italian market leader in electronic medical record systems for diabetes clinics, with solutions adopted by over 90% of diabetology centres. Its expertise includes advanced technologies for clinical data storage, system interoperability, telemedicine tools (mHealth) and digital therapeutics (DTx).
METEDA is also a key player in the professional nutrition sector, providing software for dietary data collection, nutritional analysis, and meal plan formulation, serving over 10,000 healthcare professionals (HCPs) with the support of a specialised customer service team.
In recent years, METEDA has expanded its portfolio with Artificial Intelligence systems, including a Diabetes Complications Prediction System — capable of forecasting the onset of diabetes-related complications within 1-2 to 3-5 years — and a Diabetic Retinopathy Screening System, enabling rapid and cost-effective local AI-based retinal disease screening.
METEDA’s mission is to create innovative, clinically validated and user-friendly solutions that improve lifestyle and healthcare, supporting both citizens and professionals in effective self-management and continuity of care. Its main customers are regional healthcare systems, municipalities, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and HCPs.
The company participates in the DigiCare4You project by providing its clinically validated digital health solutions—Metaclinic, DiaWatch, Metadieta, and MyDiet—to support people living with diabetes, carers and HCPs throughout the clinical pathway. These tools enable effective and personalised management of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and related lifestyle interventions. Within the project, METEDA developed and adapted the mHealth application for the four implementation countries, ensuring integration with other digital tools and contributing to project coordination, knowledge synthesis, data governance, monitoring and dissemination activities to promote scalability and sustainable impact in chronic disease management.
2. Could you tell us more about what your work has entailed so far?
Meteda’s main contribution to the DigiCare4You project was concentrated in WP4, specifically in the task “4.2 Adaptation of the mHealth and community-based intervention and the relevant implementation plan” and the subtask “4.2.1 Adaptation of the mHealth-enabled self-management intervention and the relevant implementation plan”, which it co-led and led, respectively.
In this role, Meteda adapted the digital tools for the four pilot countries (Greece, Spain, Albania and Bulgaria), tailoring content to local contexts through translation into national languages, adjustment of units of measurement, food database localisation and other country-specific modifications. These efforts ensured that the intervention was fully relevant, accessible and effective in each setting.
This process had a direct impact on the outcomes of the intervention. By customising the tools to the specific needs and contexts of each pilot country, Meteda enhanced user engagement, comprehension and overall usability, allowing participants to follow the self-management guidelines more effectively and achieving significant results across all sites.
In addition to this core activity, Meteda conducted trainings for HCPs on the use of the Metaclinic and Metadieta software, as well as the patient-facing applications, DiaWatch and MyDiet. Through interactive live sessions, practical demonstrations and structured presentations, participants were equipped to use the digital tools confidently and efficiently. Throughout the project, the Meteda team provided continuous technical support, ensuring that HCPs could maximise the potential of the tools and deliver the intervention effectively.
Finally, throughout the project, Meteda also carried out a series of adaptations and updates to both the mobile applications and the software platforms to meet the evolving needs of the DigiCare4You project. For the mobile apps, this included performance enhancements, functional updates and the implementation of features designed to address project requirements. These contributed significantly to improving usability, reliability and overall user experience. Similarly, the Metaclinic and Metadieta software underwent continuous updates and refinements, ensuring that the systems remained aligned with the clinical and operational needs of the HCPs. In parallel, Meteda engaged in ongoing fine-tuning of the entire system, continuously optimising functionality, stability and responsiveness to ensure that both the digital tools and the software platforms consistently supported the intervention and maximised its effectiveness across all pilot sites.
3. What, if any, challenges have you encountered?
During the DigiCare4You project, some challenges emerged that required targeted actions to ensure the effectiveness of the intervention.
One of the key issues was the need to reduce the digital divide and overcome the existing technological gap, as not all participants were equally familiar with the use of mobile applications and digital tools.
Another important challenge was the necessity to strengthen training, both for end-users—so that they could use the apps effectively—and for HCPs, who had to be equipped with advanced counselling and behavioural techniques to support participants.
Finally, ensuring a high and continuous level of engagement among participants was also identified as a critical challenge, given that long-term adherence to self-monitoring and lifestyle changes can often decline over time.
To address these challenges, a set of strategies was implemented.
Additional face-to-face sessions were organised whenever required, either to provide further training to end-users on how to use the apps or to reinforce support and engagement in the program. Furthermore, for participants who faced difficulties in attending sessions physically, online and telehealth sessions were offered as a flexible alternative.
At the same time, HCPs in all implementation countries received dedicated training on behavioural strategies included in the DigiCare4You solution—such as self-monitoring, goal setting, self-evaluation, identification of barriers, problem solving, relapse management and strengthening self-efficacy—so that they could guide participants more effectively.
Automated push notifications were also integrated into Meteda’s tools (MyDiet and DiaWatch) to remind citizens to regularly open the app, record their weight and enter relevant clinical values (e.g., blood glucose or blood pressure) according to their therapeutic protocol. These strategies were specifically designed to enhance engagement, encouraging consistent interaction with the digital tools while improving digital literacy and overall intervention effectiveness.
By continuously monitoring performance, promptly resolving technical issues, and releasing timely updates, Meteda ensured that its digital tools functioned smoothly and reliably, enabling both HCPs and citizens to make the most effective use of the solutions throughout the project.
4. What are the next steps for your work in this project?
Meteda will continue to actively contribute to the strategic dissemination and exploitation activities coordinated under WP9, which aim to maximise the visibility and impact of the DigiCare4You project outcomes among all key stakeholders. These activities include participation in scientific and patient conferences, publications in peer-reviewed journals, internal communications through newsletters and engagement via social media platforms. Educational and promotional materials, such as videos, blogs, toolkits and case studies, will be developed to target both HCPs and the general public, including families, with guidance on healthy lifestyle practices, diabetes prevention and self-management strategies. By combining these dissemination efforts with the validation and market introduction of its digital tools, Meteda seeks to ensure both broad adoption and long-term sustainability of its solutions at national and international levels.
The next steps for Meteda in the project also focus on consolidating the results achieved so far and demonstrating the clinical and operational validity of its digital health solutions. Building on the adaptation, training and continuous optimization activities carried out throughout the project, Meteda aims to leverage the outcomes collected across the four pilot countries to provide robust evidence of the effectiveness of its tools in supporting T2D and chronic disease management.
Starting from these premises and the opportunity to demonstrate the validity of its digital tools, Meteda aspires to bring these products to the market and establish further collaboration, not only in Italy but also internationally.