The Omnipod DASH is a tubeless insulin pump system designed for people with diabetes who need continuous insulin delivery. Unlike traditional insulin pumps that connect to the body through tubing, the DASH uses a small, adhesive Pod worn directly on the skin and controlled wirelessly by a handheld touchscreen device called a Personal Diabetes Manager (PDM). It holds up to 200 units of U-100 insulin and delivers it continuously for up to 72 hours per Pod.
How the Two-Part System Works
The DASH system has two components: the Pod and the PDM. The Pod is a lightweight, disposable device that sticks to your skin and handles the actual insulin delivery. It measures 1.53 × 2.05 × 0.57 inches and weighs just under an ounce with an empty reservoir. When you activate a new Pod, it automatically inserts a soft cannula 4 to 7 millimeters beneath your skin. From there, it delivers both a steady background rate of insulin (basal) and larger doses at mealtimes (bolus) based on the settings you program.
The PDM is the controller. It looks and feels like a smartphone, with a 4-inch color touchscreen, and communicates with the Pod over Bluetooth. The reliable communication range is about 5 feet, though in some environments it can reach up to 50 feet. You use the PDM to set your basal rates, calculate and deliver meal doses, and review your insulin and glucose history. It charges via a micro-USB cable.
Compatible Insulins
The DASH works with several rapid-acting U-100 insulins: NovoLog, Fiasp, Humalog, and Admelog are all approved for the full 72-hour Pod life. Apidra is also compatible, but only for up to 48 hours per Pod. No long-acting or concentrated insulins are used, since the pump mimics long-acting coverage by delivering rapid-acting insulin in small, continuous doses throughout the day.
Pod Wear Time and Replacement
Each Pod lasts up to 72 hours (three days) of continuous insulin delivery. As you approach the end of that window, the Pod sounds an alarm: two sets of beeps every minute for three minutes, repeating every 15 minutes until you acknowledge it on the PDM. At that point, you peel off the old Pod and apply a fresh one to a different site on your body. Most people rotate between the abdomen, upper arms, lower back, and thighs to avoid skin irritation.
The Pod carries an IP28 waterproof rating, meaning it can be submerged up to 25 feet deep for 60 minutes. You can shower, swim, or exercise without removing it. The PDM, however, is not waterproof and should stay dry.
Smartphone Apps for Monitoring
Insulet offers companion apps that extend the system’s functionality beyond the PDM. The Omnipod DISPLAY app (available on iPhones running iOS 11.3 or later) lets you check your insulin therapy history, see how much insulin is left in the Pod, review glucose and carbohydrate data, and even locate a misplaced PDM. You can also set up a home screen widget to glance at key data without opening the app.
For parents, partners, or other caregivers, the Omnipod VIEW app mirrors relevant data from the user’s PDM. The person wearing the Pod sends an invitation through the DISPLAY app, and the caregiver can then monitor insulin delivery and glucose trends remotely. This is especially useful for children with type 1 diabetes or anyone who wants a second set of eyes on their management.
How DASH Differs From Omnipod 5
The DASH is not an automated insulin delivery system. You set your basal rates and calculate your own bolus doses. It delivers exactly what you tell it to deliver, nothing more. The Omnipod 5, by contrast, uses an algorithm called SmartAdjust that’s embedded directly in the Pod. When paired with a continuous glucose monitor, the Omnipod 5 reads your glucose levels and automatically increases or decreases insulin delivery to keep you within a target range (adjustable from 110 to 150 mg/dL in increments of 10 mg/dL by time of day).
Both systems use the same style of tubeless Pod, so the physical wearing experience is similar. The key difference is decision-making: with the DASH, you’re in full manual control of every insulin adjustment. With the Omnipod 5, the system makes many of those micro-adjustments for you around the clock. For people who are comfortable calculating their own doses or whose insurance doesn’t cover the Omnipod 5, the DASH remains a practical and widely used option.
What Daily Life Looks Like
The biggest appeal of the DASH is the absence of tubing. Traditional pumps connect to your body through a thin tube that runs from an infusion site to a device clipped on your waistband or tucked in a pocket. That tubing can snag on doorknobs, get tangled during sleep, or feel conspicuous under clothing. The Pod sits flat against your skin, and many users find it easy to conceal under a shirt or dress.
Pod changes take only a few minutes. You fill the new Pod’s reservoir with insulin using a syringe, pair it with the PDM, stick it on your skin, and confirm activation. The Pod handles the cannula insertion automatically with a spring-loaded mechanism, so there’s no manual needle work involved. Most people describe the insertion as a quick pinch that’s over in less than a second.
Because the PDM is a dedicated device rather than a phone app, it’s always ready to deliver a bolus without the complications of phone battery life or software updates. That said, you do need to carry it with you. The PDM is the only way to command the Pod to deliver insulin, so forgetting it at home means you’re limited to whatever basal rate is already programmed until you retrieve it.