Eisenhower Health provides patient with bionic pancreas

 Eisenhower Health is now the first hospital to provide a patient with an FDA-approved Bionic Pancreas in the Coachella Valley. 

The patient, Jeff Porras, has been outfitted with the iLet Bionic Pancreas, designed to act as a real pancreas which is ideal for people with diabetes.

Porras says the device is game-changing for people like him who have to monitor and manage their diabetes constantly.

“Diabetes takes a lot of conscious behavior. So with this [the iLet Bionic Pancreas] it take that away and just frees up that part of your life," said Porras.

Beta Bionics, the creators of the iLet Bionic Pancreas, designed the device to regulate blood glucose levels by automatically administering insulin to the user. Users must enter their meals and their weight and the device takes care of the rest. 

Eisenhower Health, in association with UC San Diego Health, is one of the first hospitals to use iLet after the FDA approved the device in May. Eisenhower Health is now training their staff members to outfit their patients with the device going forward.

“This is a big deal for us because it’s going to make it so much easier for our patients to manage their diabetes. From what we are seeing, this is a really great device that will really help our patients, especially our older community. It’s a game-changer," said Mariaelena Cid, Diabetes Care and Education Specialist with Eisenhower Health.

Beta Bionics says they will dole out more devices to expand access to patients in the coming months.