Livongo launched in 2014 with a focus on making life with diabetes less burdensome. The company provided members with a cellular-connected glucose meter that automatically uploaded readings to the cloud. If a reading was out of range, a certified diabetes educator would reach out with personalized guidance — no action needed from the member.
The approach worked well. Livongo reported significant improvements in blood sugar control among its members and demonstrated healthcare cost savings for employers and health plans. The company expanded into hypertension management (connected blood pressure cuffs), weight management, and behavioral health, applying the same model of connected devices plus coaching.
Livongo went public in 2019 and quickly became one of the most talked-about digital health companies. In 2020, Teladoc acquired Livongo in an $18.5 billion deal, creating the largest virtual care company in the world. The Livongo platform now operates as part of Teladoc’s chronic condition management offering. While the Livongo brand has been absorbed into Teladoc, its model of “applied health signals” — using real-time data to trigger timely interventions — has influenced the entire digital health industry.
