The Higi Healthcare Blog
A Look Back at the Health of our Country in 2021
In a year where health has been a constant topic of discussion, the pandemic has altered our perception of what it means to be “in good health” and how we achieve it. As Higi’s role in the healthcare landscape continues to evolve, and as we foster partnerships with leading healthcare organizations to support education and health literacy, identification of risk factors, and enablement of access to appropriate care and community resources, we’ve enhanced – and will continue to build upon - our platform capabilities to deliver additional value to both consumers and healthcare stakeholders looking to build health engagement. This year, Higi found new ways to foster “good health” by helping consumers to not only learn about and identify risk but also to better manage their health through:
Our on-station Guided Experience, which helps consumers better understand their results and take the best next step for their health
Our Heart Guide program, which incentivizes regular screening and drives education around key health topic areas
Care Everyday, a clinician-led Remote Patient Monitoring platform that pairs easy-to-use, cellular-enabled home health devices with dedicated care managers for high-touch, coordinated care, centered around the high-risk consumer living with chronic conditions. To date, we’ve seen 97% engagement among Care Everyday and partnership patients, with 93% care plan adherence, resulting in
5% average reduction in blood pressure
9.9% weight loss among patients with obesity
14.9% reduction of average blood sugar readings in patients living with Diabetes
Despite all the changes we experienced, what has remained constant are the fundamentals – the underlying factors that impede our population’s ability to achieve good health, and the challenges many people face in accessing the care they need to mitigate their personal risk. Foundational to our work at Higi has been to educate and inform consumers across the country, regardless of means and access to the traditional healthcare system. As the year and our understanding of Covid-19 progressed, we were able to work with our partners to ensure that while all necessary safety precautions were in place, we were able to prioritize access to preventive screening and education by enabling access to our station network in the places people visit in their day-to-day lives.
Since the start of 2021, even with limited access to some of our stations for part of the year, with the support of our retail, health system, and corporate partners, the Higi network has hosted:
11 million sessions where consumers took a moment to better understand their health
August was the month with the highest number of sessions
The most frequently test takers feel into the 50–59-year-old cohort
At 2.4 million sessions, Florida was the state with the highest session count
But Hawaii, where there are far fewer stations overall, had the highest usage per station across the state
Those sessions included 10.2 million blood pressure measurements, 64% of which registered in the hypertensive range
And 3.3 million weight tests, 71% of which registered in the overweight or obese range
Both hypertension and obesity are contributing factors for the increased severity of Covid-19, as well as leading indicators of common and costly chronic illnesses, including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. At Higi, we believe in the power of education and preventive screening to drive health literacy and empower the consumer. In service of this belief, our platform helps consumers understand their personal risks and guides them to take the steps needed to address or manage their conditions. Across our platform, we saw consumers complete:
354 Thousand type 2 Diabetes Risk Tests, launched in partnership with the American Diabetes Association in November of last year, with 41% resulting in High Risk
58% of Diabetes Risk Test takers were male, and 47% of them had a High-Risk result
239 Thousand Heart Health Risk Tests, launched in partnership with the American College of Cardiology in March of this year and made widely available in July. Depending on the age of the test taker, participants receive either a 10-year or lifetime risk score
Of those who received a 10-year risk score, 42% scored Intermediate Risk or higher
Of those who received a lifetime score, 47% scored Elevated Risk or higher
In addition to our scored assessments, consumers can participate in educational quizzes called Higi Health Basics. 2021 saw participation in 1.2 Million Health Basics quizzes, which covered key health topic areas important to our platform users and near and dear to our partners, including heart disease, diabetes, sleep, mental health, and more.
To further build up the knowledge of our platform users, we delivered over 26.1 Million Health Basics newsletters, offering healthy tips and curated content to educate and empower.
These results underscore the need for action – for our healthcare providers to holistically address the underlying contributors that lead to the development of these risk factors at such scale, the mitigation of which can help consumers lead healthier, happier lives and reduce the extreme cost burden of healthcare on our citizen and the US economy.
Cheers to good health in 2022!
How Higi users can Assess and Navigate Diabetes Risk Alongside Covid-19
In November of 2019, Higi launched our on-station Diabetes Risk Test, which provides platform users with the ability to complete the American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) questionnaire, paired with a weight test performed at our stations to receive a score for risk of developing type 2 diabetes. We knew from years of collecting body measurement data that a high percentage of our platform users could be at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Across the board, over 72% of blood pressure tests indicated risk (blood pressure reading of At Risk or higher, according to the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology guidelines), over 66% of weight tests indicated risk (overweight or heavier, using standard BMI calculations) and for platform users who completed both a blood pressure test and a weight test in the same session, 50% had at risk readings in both categories. While hypertension and obesity do not equate to diabetes risk, both are significant factors to consider.
By providing consumers with a scored risk assessment, developed alongside the ADA, not only do we provide additional valuable personal health information, but we offer relevant guidance via a call-to-action based on that person’s particular risk.
Right away we saw that about 40% of those who took our diabetes risk assessment received a high-risk score, and with it, guidance on how to mitigate their risk through lifestyle modifications and a call-to-action to visit a doctor or pharmacist for clinical guidance and diagnosis.
Shortly after launch, the world as we knew it changed completely with the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. This meant a hiatus for many of our stations as retail partners took precautions to support social distancing guidelines, thus putting a temporary pause on the availability of our risk tests. What we soon learned was that for those living with diabetes, Covid-19 was more likely to be severe or life threatening, resulting in hospitalization or death[1] more often than for those not living with diabetes. In addition, in a study seeking to understand the impact of unmanaged diabetes on Covid-19 severity, findings showed that patients with unmanaged diabetes had significantly greater severity.[2]
The additional risk for those living with managed or unmanaged diabetes elevated the importance of the knowledge associated with understanding and mitigating risk factors tied to the development of the disease. For Higi, the call-to-action was two-fold: first, ensuring consumers could safely understand their risk and gain the knowledge needed to act accordingly, and second, to develop additional solutions to support our users in effectively accessing the care and resources needed to address their health.
With the relevant guidance from the CDC, we were able to again offer free risk screenings for type 2 diabetes, as well as other risk factors associated with Covid-19 severity. In the past 6 months, consumers have completed over 370,000 Diabetes Risk Test on our platform, resulting in over 154,000 High Risk scores, with the opportunity to take action to mitigate personal risk.
In service of our second objective, we launched Care Everyday, a clinician-led remote patient monitoring solution to help those living with chronic illness, including type two diabetes, more effectively access needed care and support remotely to manage their disease. For patients managing diabetes, the program ships a cellular-enabled blood glucose monitor and auto-replenishes consumables, including test strips, when the patient is running low. Monthly and as-needed support from a dedicated nurse care manager keeps patients engaged and on track with their care. Today, the program supports seniors covered by Medicare, and we’re partnering with health systems that value this type of care extension for their patients to help manage polychronic patient populations.
For healthcare organizations looking to educate and empower the community about chronic conditions, including diabetes, identify risk factors to help consumers get diagnosed sooner, and provide right-sized digital or virtual chronic condition management solutions that fit into the lives of their populations, the Higi omnichannel platform should be part of that approach. Our station network and platform meets consumers in the community with self-service tools and personalized digital education and our Care Everyday Remote Patient Monitoring offering provides the hands-on approach higher acuity consumers need to better manage their disease, address lifestyle factors, and stay on track with their care plans.
[1] https://www.diabetes.org/coronavirus-covid-19/how-coronavirus-impacts-people-with-diabetes
[2] https://www.diabetes.org/newsroom/press-releases/2021/unmanaged-diabetes-associated-with-greater-COVID-19-severity
How many of us aren’t getting enough sleep?
Failing to get enough sleep might not seem like a big deal, but the health implications can be severe, with the impact accumulating over time. The CDC tells us that over a third of adults (35%) have short sleep duration, defined as getting fewer than 7 hours of sleep per 24-hour period. Compared to adequate sleepers, adults sleeping 7 or more hours per 24-hour period, short sleepers have higher rates of obesity, greater risk for type 2 diabetes, are more likely to be physically inactive and are more likely to suffer from depression.[1]
These patterns hold true when we look at the numbers from our Heart Guide program, available at no cost to consumers across Higi’s network of Smart Health Stations. By participating in our Heart Guide program, powered by the American Heart Association®, participants can identify their own personal health goals and receive clinically based guidance and support to achieve them.
Despite the importance of sleep to their overall health and condition risk, only 17% of participants in Higi’s Heart Guide program identified sleep as an area of focus when identifying their Blood Pressure goals. Notably, when compared to all program participants, this subset is more likely to screen in the hypertensive range (74%, compared to 58% of all Heart Guide participants) and more likely to want help managing anxiety of stress (76%, compared to 18% of all Heart Guide participants). These gaps highlight the proven impact of getting the right amount of sleep on both physical and mental health. Additionally, this subset is more likely to select “getting more exercise” as an area of focus (75%, compared to 18% of all Heart Guide participants) further spotlighting the circular link between getting enough rest and having the energy to participate in adequate physical activity throughout the day, lack of which is tied to an increased risk for multiple chronic diseases, including hypertension, obesity, and type two diabetes.
[1] https://www.cdc.gov/sleep/data_statistics.html
In addition to the long-term implications, studies have shown that even a single night of inadequate sleep for those already suffering from hypertension can result in increased blood pressure the next day.[2] While the health goals within our Heart Guide are self-selected, education on the importance of sleep, as well as the benefits tied to chronic condition risk, could be important for those managing high blood pressure and looking to reduce their risks for heart attack and stroke.
For healthcare organizations looking to address long-term risk factors among patient and member populations, understanding sleep patterns, challenges associated with achieving adequate sleep, and educating their constituents on the value of sleeping 7 or more hours each day can support an overall healthier lifestyle for those populations. As an additional touchpoint for higher risk populations, Higi’s Care Everyday Remote Patient Monitoring solution further addresses chronic diseases with linkage to inadequate sleep, including diabetes and heart diseases, and hands on clinician care managers support lifestyle modifications and help participants address underlying challenges that may be associated with poor sleep. Health plans can leverage the Higi platform to understand and address member health risks and engage those members over time with guidance and support as well as navigation to relevant member benefits, including those that support better sleep. For health systems managing patients with chronic condition risk factors, Higi provides an easily accessible platform to offer additional support and guidance, as well as monitor those patients over time.
[2] https://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/healthy/matters/consequences/sleep-and-disease-risk
Healthy Body, Healthy Mind
In April, we talked about Healthy Aging, with a focus on the prevalence of chronic disease in older populations and the call-to-action for prevention earlier in life. In this piece, we’re narrowing our focus to dementia, a condition risk that also increases with age, and offer the same call-to-action for earlier mitigation and a proactive approach to health and wellbeing for all.
Why is preventive care so important and what does it entail? The CDC tells us[1] that there is a growing body of evidence suggesting that the same healthy behaviors shown to prevent chronic illnesses like cancer, diabetes and heart disease have the same positive effect on preventing cognitive decline. That controllable risk factors like maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active and not smoking help us stay cognitively healthy into old age.
[1] https://www.cdc.gov/aging/aginginfo/alzheimers.htm
The Higi platform is built to identify and help consumers address chronic disease risks, including those that have been identified as contributors to dementia. According to the CDC, addressing risk factors may prevent or delay up to 40% of dementia cases.[1] By participating in our Heart Guide program, powered by the American Heart Association®, participants can identify their own personal health goals and receive clinically-based guidance and support to achieve them. Higi’s Heart Guide includes CarePlans provided to Higi by the American Heart Association®.
[1] CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/dotw/alzheimers/index.html
Another relevant and timely topic for aging populations: falls risk. Insights from our senior health program, Your Super Years, highlight the discrepancy between those who acknowledge they are at risk for a fall and those who use support devices. According to the CDC, more than 1 in 4 older adults fall each year, and one in 5 of those falls can cause serious injury, including a head injury. [1] It’s impossible to ignore the overlap between those at risk for dementia and those at risk for falls, as well as some key preventive measures, including a healthy diet and remaining physically active.
Supporting brain health is essential to managing overall health in aging populations, and the Higi platform aids care organizations in that effort with tools to identify risk factors and drive preventive action.
[1] https://www.cdc.gov/falls/facts.html
Heart Health Isn’t a One-Size-Fits-All
For Heart Month in February, we looked at some of the insights coming out of our heart health risk test, which captures body measurement as well as lifestyle indicators to provide consumers with a score for their 10-year or lifetime heart attack and stroke risk. Five months later, we’ve seen nearly 60,000 additional completes of the risk test, with risk results remaining consistent since launch.
One of the data points we collect from test takers is whether they are taking medications to help manage their blood pressure. A participant’s response to this question paired with their blood pressure reading results from their station session provides insight and can open an important communication channel across a variety of healthcare stakeholders.
Of participants who say they are not taking medications, over half (55%) had blood pressure readings in the hypertension range. This combination of results creates an opportunity for diagnosis and treatment either through lifestyle modifications, prescription medications or the combination of the two. Providers can establish or reengage with a patient, and health plans can identify and reduce risk by getting a member’s numbers under better control.
Of participants who say they are taking medications, over two-thirds (67%) had a blood pressure reading in the hypertensive range. This could be an indication that the patient is not taking their medications as prescribed, or that their medication needs to be adjusted. A pharmacist may be able to intervene right away, having a discussion with the patient about medication adherence to identify and address any challenges the patient might have with their prescription. Alternatively, a provider may need to reengage with their patient to reassess and adjust a prescription or identify a need to monitor their patient more closely through more regular shared blood pressure readings or a more formal remote patient monitoring solution.
In either scenario, across stakeholder groups, the risks and real and the costs are significant. According to the American Heart Association, adults with high blood pressure are estimated to pay nearly $2,000 more in annual healthcare costs compared to those without high blood pressure, and across the country, annual healthcare costs for those with high blood pressure are estimated to be $131 billion higher compared to those without the disease. [1]
As an additional heart-health resources for our platform users, we’ve added a guided digital program, powered by the American Heart Association. Participants can identify where they would like help with blood pressure management, including taking medications, to receive ongoing education, tips and tools to help them reach their goals. The program supports provider, plan and pharmacy-led initiatives to proactively engage consumers in their care, complementing established care plans with a self-guided, digitally driven experience.
Mobility Matters
This month, we’re thinking about mobility, especially among older populations, and the potential ties to chronic disease risk. We’re using our platform to educate the public about bone and joint health as well as the impact of a fall on overall health and mobility.
In our senior health program, Your Super Years, we gain a better understanding of the health conditions and lifestyle concerns of Higi users over the age of 65 and provide tools and information to help those seniors live life to its fullest. Of program participants, nearly 70% are living with some type of chronic pain, defined as pain that lasts from weeks to years, with 30% of sufferers reporting experiencing chronic joint pain. While joint pain does not necessarily equate to arthritis, we know from the CDC that severe joint pain is more common among adults with arthritis who also have other chronic conditions including diabetes (40.9%), heart disease (34.1%), and obesity (31.7%), and among adults with a disability (45.6%).[1] While only 13% reported a high blood pressure or heart disease diagnosis, over half of sessions included blood pressure screening results in the hypertensive range.
[1] https://www.cdc.gov/arthritis/index.htm
Despite the real risks to older populations, our survey responses reveal a resistance toward reducing fall risks. Only 17% of our respondents admit to using equipment to help them move around, with a cane being the most commonly used type of DME, although 28% admit to having fallen in the past 12 months.
This population of seniors, who are curious enough and engaged enough in their health to participate in our programming, show additional risk factors that should be of concern to those responsible for their wellbeing, especially healthcare organizations taking on financial risk to manage this cohort. 62% of participants haven’t completed or aren’t sure what an Annual Wellness Visit is, representing an opportunity to engage those at risk for a fall with personalized support or to discuss 1:1 the benefits of using appropriate DME. In addition, 83% have not completed a memory screening and only 14% have completed a telehealth visit. Both opportunities to expose risks and intercept with easy to use technology.
Managing Blood Pressure Starts with Education
May is blood pressure education month, and for many, the first step to understanding their blood pressure is to take a free blood pressure reading at the Higi Station. For the more than 60% of sessions where the blood pressure reading indicates risk of hypertension, the journey to better health starts by understanding the controllable risk factors and preventive action that person can take, as well as the implications of living with uncontrolled high blood pressure.
In a survey of Higi users, 70% indicated that not having access to a Higi Station during Covid-19 impacted their ability to track their health, with 42% indicating they had no way to take blood pressure without Higi. This trend is particularly alarming given a recent decrease in blood pressure control among American adults,[1] as well as the potential complications associated with Covid-19 for those with cardiovascular conditions and potentially high blood pressure.[2] With safety as a top priority, and in accordance with initial guidelines from the CDC, Higi Stations were temporarily placed into Education Mode, disabling health risk screenings through the platform. While this limited pharmacy traffic in support of social distancing guidelines, it also limited access to an important screening and educational mechanism that consumers, particularly those at higher risk, rely on to understand their status as well as addressable risk factors.
As we consider the intersection between high blood pressure and chronic disease, we’ve doubled down on our efforts to provide guidance and support to consumers as they look to improve their health, with an initial focus on blood pressure, as an important indicator of overall health. We recently announced that the Higi platform would integrate American Heart Association science, and in doing so, provide ongoing guidance, education and recommended courses of action for consumers.
With a March 2021 launch, early data shows clear opportunity for further collaboration with healthcare stakeholders. The program exposes clear gaps between diagnosed patients and those with blood pressure readings outside desired ranges, highlighting a cohort in need of care as well additional guidance and support for those aware of their condition, but who have not yet achieved desired control.
Healthy Aging: Mind & Body
This month, we’re talking about healthy aging. Why? Because across the Higi network, almost 60% of our sessions are completed by consumers over 50 and more than 25% are over 65. We also know that with age comes an increase in the prevalence of chronic disease, as well as the associated cost of care.
Shouldn’t those numbers be larger for consumers over 65? Are people getting healthier as they age? It’s not likely. For our age 50-64 cohort, we see significant risk factors, which could lead to decreased mobility, more serious care needs or untimely death. While the 65+ cohort using the Higi network may be actively participating in their health, it’s those who are not, or whose health is declining, who need our help – earlier in the aging process.
In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), AARP and the American Medical Association (AMA) jointly issued a call to action for the promotion of preventive services for consumers aged 50-64 for this very reason. Their analysis: “Staying healthy is essential to [quality of life for aging adults]; yet, by the time they reach their sixth decade, 70 percent will have been diagnosed with one or more chronic health conditions – and nearly half will have two or more.[1]”
In addition to the ongoing work Higi does to educate consumers of all ages about chronic disease, better understanding personal risk and accessing resources to take action, we’re working to address the health and healthcare challenges associated with aging head on. We’re starting with a focus on loneliness and social isolation, which impacts more than one-third of adults aged 45 and over, and nearly a quarter of adults aged 65 and older[2] and can take a serious toll on physical health.
This month, we’re collaborating with the National Council on Aging (NCOA) on our digital education efforts. NCOA offers a variety of resources for older adults and caregivers – such as tools for money management and falls prevention programs -- as well professionals and advocates in the space. As part of our user experience, consumers will come to better understand how Higi and NCOA can support them as they age, beginning by helping them to address issues of loneliness and social isolation. This is just the start of our collaboration with NCOA, which will focus on other topics relevant to aging populations later in the year.
Although difficult to measure, the CDC highlights the potential for a strong link between loneliness, especially in older adults, and costly health events,2 including an increased risk of premature death, increased risk of heart attack and stroke, and among heart failure patients, an increased risk of hospitalization and Emergency Department visits.3
[1] Smolka G, Purvis L, Figueiredo C. Health care reform: What’s at stake for 50- to 64-year-olds? AARP Public Policy Institute Insight on the Issues. AARP Web site. Available at: http://assets.aarp.org/rgcenter/health/i24_hcr.pdf
[2] https://www.cdc.gov/aging/publications/features/lonely-older-adults.html
[3] National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. Social Isolation and Loneliness in Older Adults: Opportunities for the Health Care System. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Chronic Kidney Disease - Risk Factor Identification and Management
Consumer education has always been a core tenet of our platform. It’s not enough to simply tell our consumers they are at risk for chronic diseases like diabetes or heart disease. At Higi, we help our consumers take control of their health by educating them about how they can lower their risk factors. For the first time since the 2019 launch of digital our education series – Content to Care – we’re focusing our efforts on Kidney Health. Why? To start, Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure are the two major causes of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in US adults (CDC). And Higi happens to collect patient data about those two risk factors at scale.
The relationship between high blood pressure and chronic kidney disease doesn’t stop there. High blood pressure damages kidney’s blood vessels, and the extra fluid in blood vessels can raise blood pressure even more, creating a dangerous cycle (NIH).
The costs associated with management of CKD are high. In 2017, CKD cost Medicare plans over $84 billion and treating people with End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) cost an additional $36 billion (CDC).
The CDC estimates that about 37 million adults in the US have CKD, and that almost half (48%) are undiagnosed (CDC). Since many patients don’t experience any symptoms at the onset of the disease, this can equate to hidden costs for the healthcare organizations taking risk on these patients. That’s where Higi comes in: our platform provides a valuable, accessible and free resource for patients and their care teams to better understand risk for CKD, as well as other chronic diseases. Patients can learn about and track these leading indicators, and via Higi and our partners, get connected to the resources they need to prevent, diagnose or manage the condition.
The same recommendations hold true for those at risk for or managing CDK. The Higi platform, along with our retailer, health plan and provider partners offer the care and resources patients need to reduce their risk and effectively manage their disease.
Heart Health this Heart Month and Beyond - Risk Factors and Prevalence for Cardiovascular Disease
Heart Month is near and dear to Higi’s heart! We’re a platform well known for providing consumers with personal health information and body measurement data, like blood pressure, that helps them – and those who care for them – better understand risk factors associated with their heart health. This heart month, we’re taking a look at the risk factors linked to cardiovascular disease, how we collect them through the Higi network and leverage the power of our platform to match consumers with the care they need.
Other factors, like diet, lack of physical activity and high alcohol consumption can also play a contributing role. This type of lifestyle data is easily collected through Higi’s platform.
Although risk factors are well studied, and many are controllable, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in the US, as well as the costliest chronic disease (heart.org).
At risk population seeks out Higi despite discomfort with in-person care
The Higi platform is designed to quickly assess population health trends, doing so by collecting de-identified health data from 10,000 locations across the country. When market trends indicated that our users would be interested in learning more about their health and Covid-19, we quickly launched a survey-based program on our station to collect sentiment and health risk data.
We know from the market that people are avoiding care, sometimes at their risk of their health. 38% of responders to our on-station survey told us they did not feel safe getting in person healthcare, yet the majority of sessions were indicative of risk. Of those who participated in the survey and completed a blood pressure test, 65% had a reading in the hypertensive range, of those that measured weight, over 70% fell into the overweight or obese category.
The opportunity: health plan and health system partner can leverage our platform to educate consumers about the importance maintaining health, even during Covid. They can share solution to deliver care outside of the hospital setting and inform decision making processes when in person care may be needed.
A routine health screening at the pharmacy lead to a life-changing diagnosis
For Angelo, screening at the Higi Health Station was nothing new – he’s a regular at his Rite Aid pharmacy and is in the habit of using Higi to measure and track his blood pressure. His relationship with his pharmacist – and having access to a Higi Smart Health Station in that trusted setting – helped to get him the care he needed. When his pharmacist noticed his readings were out of range, Angelo and the pharmacist were able to sit down and talk about his health, leading Angelo to seek and receive care right away.
Over 60% of the users on the Higi platform have a health reading that indicates a care need.
Watch the video: https://www.riteaid.com/pharmacy/pharmacy-champions
For a pharmacy partner: The Higi Smart Health Station added value to every store trip for the patient and helped strengthen the relationship between patient and trusted pharmacy partner
For a health system partner: Health System partners have the ability to connect consumers to care resources, and in the case of Angelo, refer him to a cardiogist and receive his data longitudinally into an existing workflow for a better informed conversation, leading to diagnosis and ongoing care
Baltimore woman credits Higi and her local JCC with saving her life
The formula is simple: greater access to care leads to earlier interventions and better outcomes. For Jackie, this access was enabled through the placement of a Higi Station in her local JCC from two trusted healthcare partners: LifeBridge Health, a Baltimore health system, and the American Heart Association. The two collaborated to provide the Higi Smart Health Station in their community. The journey for Jackie started with an educational message about heart attack and stroke awareness, leading her to learn a little bit about her own health by completing a screening. And there are so many more Jackies out there. Each year, across the Higi network, we capture over 630,000 hypertensive crisis readings - that’s 630,000 opportunities for a care provider to take immediate action.
Watch Jackie’s story here: https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2019/05/07/national-stroke-month-may/
For a health system partner: Higi identified a high-risk consumer as part of a community strategy and helped connect that consumer to care at their system
For a Medicare Plan partner: Placing a Higi Station where members go helped to identify and address a health need before it became costly and difficult to manage
Welcome to the Higi Healthcare Blog!
Welcome to the Higi Healthcare Blog and thanks for joining us! We believe that everyone has the right to better health and that the journey begins by meeting people where they are, on their terms and providing tools and resources that help them take the next steps. That next step is different for everyone – it could be as simple as an informative message about a common health condition and the steps that person can take to reduce their risk; it could be a means to measure health numbers and ask a trusted pharmacist what those numbers mean; it could be a referral to a partner who can help address a specific concern, provide support or offer a diagnosis; it could be an ongoing, sustained relationship with a care provider that helps track health data over time and monitors progress and health outcomes. The journey is different for everyone and it can always start with Higi. We reach people in the communities where they live through our network of 10,000 Smart Health Stations alongside web and mobile tools and help them take the next step. Over 62 million people have used our platform to complete more than 372 tests, and those numbers get bigger by the second.
Our platform is built to understand and address the health needs of consumers and then connect them with the healthcare organizations – providers, health plans, retail healthcare and consumer healthcare brands – who can address their health needs. We work on their behalf and provide scaled solutions that reach and educate consumers, identify health risks, issues and needs, connect those consumers to social and clinical care resources and drive strategies that support ongoing health engagement.
In this blog, we’ll highlight stories of healthcare better connected, showcase the power of our network to collect actionable health data and share insights from healthcare leaders at Higi and beyond. Come back any time!