Social Networking Tool that Improves Public Health and Wellness Detailed at SXSW Interactive’s “Future 15”

“Score for Life” makes data collectible and shareable for better long-term engagementAustin, Texas – Chicago-based higi detailed its interactive tools that tap the power of social networking to improve public health yesterday at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival. Presenting to a room of 175 attendees, Dr. Khan Siddiqui, CEO of higi, shared “A Better Measure: Consumer Engagement and the higi Score,” which revealed an easy, engaging use of personal health data collection as the key to better living.Using interactive tools accessible by web or mobile device and at more than 1,000 higi Stations located at retail pharmacies, the higi Score encourages people – health fanatics and couch potatoes alike – to approach personal health from a broader perspective by focusing on lifestyle choices and community interactions along with standard aspects like diet and exercise. The tools produce a higi Score between one and 999 generated by measuring a person’s body stats, social engagement and personal interactions.“Physical body stats are important, but only serve as a point-of-entry for living healthy, when we know that social interaction and community involvement also play a part in wellness,” said Dr. Khan Siddiqui, CEO. “The question for higi became ‘How can we aggregate all the data, make it simple and fun to collect your data and share it with others?’”Scaling the concept became a mission for higi, whose ‘Score for Life’ captures physical stats along with lifestyle habits and community engagement, then aggregates the information making it simple and fun to collect and share with others. The concept of the higi Score occurred after a meeting that creator and founder Michael Ferro had at the White House on the topic of how to use social networking to improve public health. Ferro, who was at the presentation, addressed audience members’ questions about creating long-term health engagement and goals.“Similar to a person’s FICO credit rating, the higi Score takes into account a more holistic, long-term snapshot of a person’s diet and exercise decisions as well as behaviors impacting their lifestyle and community, as opposed to just body metrics at one moment,” said Ferro. “With this more holistic point of view, Betty White could have a better higi Score than an Olympic athlete because it's about awareness and knowing and sharing your data.”Noting the frequent use of blood pressure machines located in retail pharmacies – more than 70 million Americans check the one stat more than 500 million times per year – the presentation detailed how higi Stations and the corresponding digital tools delve beyond a single piece of health information. higi Stations also capture weight, BMI, pulse and height, and incorporates the data with the user’s lifestyle and community activity. A new mobile app for iPhone launched at SXSW includes a “higi Shots” camera feature allowing users to photo-journal food, activities and social interactions to further increase their score.“Ultimately, the higi Score is a tool that creates a wellness challenge among people,” said Ferro. “The engagement and resulting higi Score creates a status symbol that measures social influence and savvy by way of overall wellness, which could be a game changer for improving public health.”The launch of the new higi app was met with great reception all weekend during SXSW, as the company’s newly announced creative director, Lupe Fiasco was onsite and at the presentation to talk about the higi Score. Lupe already provided direction on the creation of the higi “900 Club,” a feature for users whose higi Score tops 900. To reach that Score, higi users are encouraged to visit higi Stations, check in online and verify their body stats. The more they check in, the more they Score.About higiChicago-based higi is a consumer-centric health engagement company. Through social and interactive tools – web, mobile, and higi Stations located in retail pharmacies – higi makes it easy for people to measure and track their health and lifestyle through their higi Score. higi Stations can be found in select retail locations in 18 states and counting. To learn more, visit higi.com and follow us on Twitter.Media ContactHeather Sabharwa202-349-7016hsabharwal@kglobal.com