It’s well established that routine preventative care reduces the risk of chronic disease, disability, and death. Yet, in a healthcare system that all too often prioritizes “sick care” over keeping people healthy, 25% of Americans don’t have a primary care physician (PCP). Add to this a shortage of PCPs and patient panels that often top 2,500 per physician, and people can sometimes expect to wait days, weeks, or even months to see their doctor. In addition, many people live too far from their providers and aren’t aware of the powerful positive impact that preventative care can have on their health.

At Hello Heart, we believe that putting ourselves in the shoes of the member is always the best way to improve user experience. To address this challenge of how to find care, we did just that.

If you are a Hello Heart app user and start to experience consistently high blood pressure readings, you receive a pop-up notification on your phone suggesting that you speak to your doctor because you may need a medication adjustment. You can call your doctor directly from the Hello Heart app and address the issue immediately, but what if your doctor is unavailable to see you? Or what if you don’t have a PCP at all? In the past, you may have chosen to do nothing because finding a clinician is often a time-consuming and complex process.

Recognizing this care gap and acknowledging that simplicity and convenience are the keys to getting more Americans to engage with preventive care, we recently released new (pilot) functionality that connects users directly to in-person care. 

As a first step in enabling a more holistic approach to managing heart health, we’ve built a well-established and valued relationship with CVS Health, the largest provider of retail health in the country. Users in the pilot can now instantly make an appointment at one of more than 1,200 MinuteClinic locations inside select CVS Pharmacy stores when they are prompted by the Hello Heart app to seek medical care due to sustained high blood pressure readings.

The Hello Heart coaching app empowers people to make better lifestyle choices by providing wellness tips—from choosing healthier food options to fun exercise ideas. Making small changes and forming healthier habits may help reduce the risks of high blood pressure and heart disease.

We believe that the best healthcare experiences meet people where they are and keep up with changes in technology and consumer behavior. Through a first-of-its-kind integration, Hello Heart and CVS Health are doing exactly that—meeting users where they are and providing a better-connected healthcare experience. Now, Hello Heart users in the pilot can schedule in-person visits at a MinuteClinic location near them—making it easier and faster than ever to get medical advice and medication adjustments.

Since 2020, Hello Heart has been a part of the CVS Health Health Point Solutions Management program, and our companies continue to work together to drive innovation and deliver high-impact solutions to clients and users.

Through new integrations with healthcare innovators like CVS Health, Hello Heart is committed to further enhancing the interoperability of digital therapeutics, telehealth, and in-person healthcare. We will continue to expand the network of care available to our users by working with other leading providers who share our vision for a holistic approach to healthcare. 

I am personally excited about what the future holds for digital therapeutics for Hello Heart, our partner ecosystem and, more importantly, our users.

‍