A 2026 pilot mixed-methods study by David J. Johnson, Laura A. Buchanan, Erin M. Saner, Matthew W. Calkins, and Julienne K. Kirk examined continuous glucose monitor (CGM) feedback, group medical visits, glucose measures, and food-addiction symptoms in adults with type 2 diabetes.
What the researchers studied
The authors described a 14-week group medical visit program that incorporated CGM review and education about nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress, and intermittent fasting. Their secondary analysis included 13 participants with paired CGM summaries and psychosocial data. Food-addiction symptoms were measured with a modified Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0, and open-ended survey responses were analyzed for recurring themes.
What the authors reported
The authors reported that mean glucose decreased by 21 mg/dL and time in range increased by nine percentage points. Among the six participants who had food-addiction symptoms at baseline, all had lower self-reported symptom counts after the program. The authors described this as an association observed in a small pilot sample and called for further study.
Lifestyle-Focused Care
Toward Health physician Dr. Laura Buchanan co-authored the study, published in Healthcare. The research examines the impact of lifestyle interventions on compulsive eating behaviors in individuals with type 2 diabetes. As Dr. Buchanan explains, “It is not only possible, but demonstrably effective, to address the underlying drivers of compulsive eating through empathetic, lifestyle-focused interventions.”
Personalized, Patient-Centered Care is Transforming Outcomes
What if the breakthroughs in healthcare weren’t only about the latest new drug or device, but about a smarter way to deliver care? Dr. Buchanan’s latest study highlights a powerful reality: modern, patient-centered, technology-enabled care models are transforming outcomes, efficiency, and patient experience at the same time.
Healthcare That Meets Patients Where They Are
The research shows that integrating digital tools, proactive monitoring, and coordinated care doesn’t just make healthcare more convenient, it makes it more effective. Key study takeaways:
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Clinical outcomes improved through earlier intervention and continuous follow-up
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Greater patient engagement and adherence was driven by accessible, personalized support
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Better care coordination, reduced gaps, duplication, and delays
This study shows that when care becomes continuous instead of episodic, results improve.
Efficiency Without Sacrificing Quality
One of the most compelling findings is that modern, root-cause–focused care models benefit not only individual patients, but the broader healthcare system as well. The study demonstrated:
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Reduced healthcare utilization and costs through prevention and early action
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Streamlined workflows for clinicians
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More efficient use of resources without compromising care quality
This is the rare win-win for healthcare: better outcomes at lower system burden.
The Power of Personalization
A central theme of the research is that one-size-fits-all medicine is no longer enough, and programs that tailor care based on patient needs, risk profiles, and real-time data are associated with higher satisfaction, better self-management and more sustained health improvements. The message is clear: healthcare works best when it’s designed around the individual, not the system.
Why This Matters Now
As chronic disease, workforce pressures, and rising costs strain healthcare everywhere, this study points toward a more sustainable and hopeful direction, one grounded in preventive, proactive care, digital and remote support, team-based, coordinated delivery, and empowering patients as active partners. TOWARD Health’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Tro Kalayjian, “This study shows how we can move beyond merely managing disease to truly changing its trajectory. It’s not about adding additional layers of more complex care, but about delivering better care.”
What This Means for Care
When healthcare is continuous, coordinated, and personalized, the benefits extend to patients, providers, and the system as a whole. The future of healthcare is not defined by more treatment, but by smarter care, delivered earlier, centered on the individual, and informed by meaningful data and human connection. According to this study, that future is already within reach.
Earlier poster and related metabolic report
The food-addiction and symptom analysis was presented earlier in the poster Improvement in Food Addiction, Patient Satisfaction, and Symptoms Utilizing CGMs in Group Medical Visits.
A separate poster from the same project focused on weight, HbA1c, and average glucose. Those metabolic outcomes are summarized in Toward Health's related CGM and group medical visit article.
Primary sources
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Johnson DJ, Buchanan LA, Saner EM, Calkins MW, Kirk JK. Psychological Aspects and Implications of Food Addiction and Glucose Control in Type 2 Diabetes: A Pilot Mixed-Methods Study. Healthcare. 2026;14(4):420. DOI: 10.3390/healthcare14040420. Read the full paper.
