Healthy.io, the global leader in transforming the smartphone camera into a medical device, and Medica, a mission-driven nonprofit health insurance plan, today announced a pragmatic trial giving at-risk plan members the ability to test their kidney function at home. Members with diabetes and/or hypertension, two conditions that increase kidney disease risk, will receive free albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) urine tests that can indicate an increased risk for chronic kidney disease (CKD). Members take the test in the comfort of their home and receive results immediately, which they can share with their health care provider to determine if care is needed to prevent chronic kidney disease.
CKD affects 37 million Americans, and 80% of individuals at risk for this disease fail to get tested for this life altering chronic condition. Healthy.io’s smartphone-based ACR home testing solution has the potential to simplify the health care experience by expanding access to care, reducing costs, and improving patient health.
“We know that 8 in 10 Americans who are at risk for chronic kidney disease don’t take their annual urine test, leading to delays in detection,” said Paula LeClair, US GM of Healthy.io. “Medica has long pioneered innovative solutions for their members, and we’re proud to work with them to use technology that can improve members access to care.”
“Medica is committed to finding health care solutions that make our members’ lives easier, healthier and happier,” said David Webster, M.D., Chief Clinical and Provider Strategy Officer at Medica. “Through our relationship with Healthy.io, we can provide at-risk members a simple way to get tested and assess their kidney function with immediate results.”
The Healthy.io test measures the protein albumin in urine, which is a marker for kidney disease. Kits are delivered to a member’s home, and they use their smartphone to scan the dipstick for immediate results. Unlike traditional at-home diagnostic tests, samples do not need to be sent to a lab and the results are immediate. A recent rollout with the National Health Service in the United Kingdom showed that Healthy.io’s at-home screening solution raised test adherence from 0 percent to 50 percent among patients who had not done a urine test for kidney disease in the previous year.
The Healthy.io test is pending FDA 510(k) clearance and is currently for investigational use only. The Healthy.io study with Medica members will help determine the acceptance rate of use in home settings.