With the high prevalence of diabetes, its long-term treatment, and many complications, there is a need for a new diabetes self-management model in developing countries. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the implementation and effect of a new diabetes self-management model, known as the healthcare cloud information platform, in Shanghai, China. The implementation of the new model was evaluated in terms of the equipment coverage in community health service centres and the services provided. The effect was assessed according to the treatment rate and control rate from 2012 to 2017. Their correlations with the self-management rate were analysed using Spearman's test. It was found that the Shanghai healthcare cloud information platform had covered a total of 237 community health service centres in all of the 16 administrative districts, equipping them with 2489 health stations, by 2017. An average of 8966 people uploaded data to the healthcare cloud information platform every day, with the accumulated service up to 12 043 508 person-times and an average daily increase of 13 227.9. The treatment rate of diabetes patients in Shanghai increased from 42.9% in 2012 to 78.0% in 2017, and the control rate increased to 72% in 2017, compared with 63% in 2012. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between the treatment rate, control rate, and self-management rate. The findings indicate that it is feasible to implement the new healthcare cloud information platform for diabetes self-management and that it is effective. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.