One of the largest global employers in the medical device industry sought to address employees’ most prevalent chronic conditions in order to improve member health and reduce high healthcare costs. They analyzed claims for their approximately 50,000 U.S. employees and found that heart disease and high blood pressure were their top conditions. This assessment aligns with U.S. trends:
47% of adults have hypertension1
79% of individuals with hypertension do not have the condition under control2
Beyond the negative health effects, the employer recognized that high blood pressure also had a high financial cost. A recent analysis by Validation Institute confirmed this conclusion, finding that the average total medical spending for individuals with hypertension is $9,842.3
To address these issues, the company selected Hello Heart. Hello Heart is the only digital therapeutics company to focus exclusively on heart health. Built by a team of clinicians, data scientists, and consumer software experts, Hello Heart’s coaching app provides wellness tips that have been clinically shown in a peer-reviewed study published in a top-tier medical journal to lower blood pressure.4 Each participant receives a wireless blood pressure monitor and real-time, personalized digital coaching. Hello Heart’s artificial intelligence and algorithms drive an individualized, unique experience for each person based on gender, comorbidities, age, geography, and user persona.
For their program with Hello Heart, the employer identified a target population of approximately 21,000 at-risk employees with blood pressure readings above 130/80 and/or a prescription for blood pressure medication.
average engagement rate throughout the program5
of participants starting in stage 2 hypertension reduced their heart risk using the app 5,6,7,8
mmHg drop in systolic BP for participants starting in stage 2 hypertension using the app 5,6,7
members had an elevated blood pressure reading in the hypertensive crisis range and returned to a lower level 5
The enrollment process was simple and effective, including personalized postcards with instructions on how to access the monitor and app, as well as other communications throughout the year. 19% of the employer’s target population enrolled during the first year.5
Hello Heart’s personalized and digital approach to coaching kept users engaged long term. 58% of the employer’s members engaged with the app’s daily insights and educational emails.5 Additionally, the employer’s benefits team and Hello Heart collaborated to develop an incentive, providing wellness points to employees who actively engaged with the app. The points could be used to offset future health insurance premiums.
These efforts drove a high engagement rate, with an average of 84% of enrollees engaging with the app (i.e. tracking their blood pressure) each quarter.5
Using the personalized coaching app’s wellness tips focused on exercise, nutrition, and other lifestyle factors, 82% of participants starting in stage 2 hypertension reduced their blood pressure and lowered heart risk after one year.5,6,7 On average, they dropped their systolic blood pressure by 20 mmHg.5,6 Additionally, 126 members had a blood pressure reading of 180/120 or greater (hypertensive crisis level) but then their blood pressure fell to a lower range.5
Furthermore, by selecting Hello Heart as their heart health solution, the employer potentially avoided significant medical costs. Validation Institute recently found that the Hello Heart program delivered a$1,865 per participant reduction in year 1 total medical claims.10
1 Facts About Hypertension, CDC, 2021.
2 “Trends in Healthcare Expenditures Among US Adults With Hypertension: National Estimates, 2003–2014,” Journal of the American Heart Association, 2018.
3 Reduced heart risk is defined as a reduction in blood pressure.
4 Based on a comparison of users’ average blood pressure level in their first week in the program compared to their most recent week.
5 “Blood pressure lowering for prevention of cardiovascular disease and death: a systematic review and meta-analysis,” The Lancet, 2015.
6 Savings certified by Validation Institute in October 2021.
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