Jun 10
I want to preface this post with the note that I am actually really enjoying the OmniPod and is has some really wonderful functionality. It’s about 80% there.
My current list of complaints about the OmniPod system:
- Does not show Insulin left in the resivor until you are under 50u.
- Will not calculate bolus after first insertion (had to wait for my IOB to clear before it would calculate) — I must have missed a step to enter my current IOB, so it turned off the calculator as a precaution. Nice safety feature–yet annoying.
- Cannot change basal pattern without suspending basal.
- PDM is much too large and has a button I will never use — “?”. And it does not even work for more than half the menus. They could actually have designed the whole button interface with just four buttons and saved a ton of space (this is just asking for a iPhone like touch screen).
- UI is a little slow (but I would say that about all Insulin Pumps) — I like to flick through menus quickly when I know where I am going. Forcing me to slow down is annoying (but probably a safety feature to make me read it–while I actually am multitasking and not paying attention).
- Food library is not very helpful since it seems to be quite arbitrary AND it does not let you bolus from it — I want it removed from my home page (best part of the Cozmo, I could REMOVE crap I didn’t want to see).
- Calculates IOB in a strange way – only takes into consideration bolus on corrections, not food. It is easier to stack boluses without realizing it.
- Self-destruct mode – 3.5 days and the pod basically self destructs. I would much prefer that I could set an amount of units to remain as basal in the event of emergency. Basically, I want 10u that I cannot ever bolus, and will just deliver as basal at the end of the Pod. Again, this is a safety thing that I really liked in the Cozmo (always important when you could be stuck at sea/on a mountain).
Wants
Touch bolus on the pod. It’s so obvious to me — not sure why it is not there. (Cozmo had it, it looks like the Solo system may have it too)
OmniPod likes are too easy — however, the funtions they highlight when they sell/advertise the device is completely backwards in my opinion. It’s all about the automatic insertion. Stick it on, click go on the PDM, and it is done.
Cary,
I went from a MM pump to an Omnipod a couple months back and I wish I had done it sooner. I just love the thing. The 3 points I agree with you on are : The PDM should be slimmer/smaller, an option to have a button for bolus on the pod itself would be nice, and the IOB does need to be tweaked a bit. It’s not that I disagree with your other points, they just aren’t that big of a deal to me. I do use the “?” button when I want to brighten the back light on the screen, so I do find it useful.
Having said all this, blogs like yours that discuss possible improvements to the Omnipod system are great. As users, I think we all want to see continuous improvements.
Also, the Omnipod’s main selling point is a pump without tubes, so I’m not sure how that’s backwards, but the auto insertion should be stressed a bit more IMO as well.
Mike,
From a product design perspective, the PDM appears to have been a huge after thought to getting the wireless and Pods to be working better/smarter, etc. Which is likely the right decision. After they get the next-gen Pods released that are much smaller, they do need to work on their PDM quite a bit (getting it to the size of a older BlackBerry would be a huge step forward).
IOB should take into consideration meal boluses – it’s a small tweak to the software (they could even make it an option for all I care).
Changing the brightness should really be done in the settings like most phones and other electronics work with a phase out: Eg. Bright for 30sec, 10 sec of dim, then off.
Tubeless pumping is not a huge difference since (in my opinion), all pumps are going to be headed to tubeless versions very shortly. It is no secret that MiniMed is working on it (although pushed back to late 2011 or 2012 according to their investor presentations). Tubeless is the new way the game is going to be played — it’s a big change, and one that is necessary for future developments. Additional sites to be used, ease of insertion are two really big points that they do not push hard in their adverts.
Insertion of the OmniPod versus any manual insertion of a pump set is the difference between boiling and sharpening your syringes and the advent of disposable ones (followed by insulin pens with tiny needles).
-Cary
It will be curious to see how much smaller (if at all) the new PDM will be. I’m on the Dex, too, and my rep told that the reason that the Dex receiver is so large is due to the antennae which goes around the whole thing. I wonder if it’s a similar story w/ the Omnipod.
Good list. Like you, I like the Pod better than the pump, but it isn’t perfect, and it’s important to let them know that it’s not.
M
[...] while back I wrote about how the OmniPod calculates IOB in a different way than my old pump. The OmniPod does not take into account meal boluses for IOB [...]