The Healthy Heart study – a study investigating the benefits of digital at-home heart health screening – has revealed how digital screening can lead to improved health.
The study revealed that a digital-first approach to screening heart health at home could increase the number of patients testing for cardiovascular disease (CVD), as well as spotting, and acting on high cholesterol, by up to 57 per cent.
The Healthy Heart Study, conducted by Pharmacy2U and PocDoc., saw 3,871 people across the UK sign up to a digital-first heart health screening process. Participants received PocDoc’s ‘Healthy Heart Check’ on day one and day 56 and were offered two clinical reviews with a Pharmacy2U pharmacist upon completion of each test.
Over two thirds of eligible people invited to complete their first test did so, notably higher than the 44% who attended an invitation to their NHS Health Check in the past five years.
Over a quarter of those who completed their digital home health check had never had their cholesterol levels checked before, suggesting that a digital-first pathway can increase access to lifesaving preventative measures.
This is a particularly pertinent issue for those in under-privileged communities. Research has found that individuals from deprived backgrounds are less likely to attend their NHS Health Check, despite facing a higher risk of heart disease. Almost a third (30%) of participants in the Healthy Heart Study were from backgrounds categorised as ‘deprived’.
“Despite significant advances in treatment and prevention of heart conditions in recent years, cardiovascular disease still places a substantial burden on public health and the healthcare system”, said Kevin Heath, CEO of Pharmacy2U.
“The NHS Long Term Plan (2019) identified CVD as the single biggest area where lives can be saved over the next decade, while a digital-first screening programme, delivered by pharmacies, ticks all three of the government’s aims to focus on prevention, delivered digitally, within the primary care sector. This study shows just how effective that approach could be, were the NHS to invest in a nationwide rollout.”
Cholesterol and heart health checks are currently part of the NHS Health Check offered to all individuals aged over 40 in England. However, more than half of those eligible have not attended on in the past five years. Providing this service digitally could not only increase the number of people getting screened but also relieve significant pressure on busy GP practices.
The Healthy Heart Study uncovered a wide range of positive outcomes for participants. Three-quarters said they were inclined to make more healthy choices after being involved, while 46 per cent of those who completed the end-of-study survey self-reported an improvement in their cholesterol after 60 days of online advice.
Furthermore, participants reported satisfaction with PocDoc’s digital-first approach. 95 per cent said the app download process was “easy” or “very easy”; 86 per cent found interpreting results “easy” or “very easy”; and 72 per cent agreed the process was more convenient than visiting a GP. A resounding nine in 10 said the NHS should offer the service more widely.
Steve Roest, CEO of PocDoc, said: “The Healthy Heart Study is the largest of its kind in the UK, leading the way in digital-first pathways for Cardiovascular Disease prevention. The findings are crystal clear – using digital technology platforms like PocDoc and Pharmacy2u can deliver an efficient, high-quality prevention pathway that reaches people otherwise not engaging with healthcare.”
Heath said: “Digital-first healthcare puts people in control of their health by empowering individuals from all walks of life to measure, monitor, and manage their symptoms from the palm of their hand. Something we need now more than ever, not least to relieve the pressure on our hospitals and GP surgeries.”
