higi, the Largest Free Blood Pressure Screening Network, Applauds Change in Blood Pressure Guidelines

higi Provides Easy Access to Health Screening through Trusted Retail Partnerships and is Critical Enabler for Better Hypertension Management

CHICAGOhigi SH llc (higi), a population health enablement company that operates the largest self-screening health station network in North America, today announced their support of the new blood pressure standards released by the American College of Cardiology (ACA) and American Heart Association (AHA) on Monday. As an owner and operator of 11,000 FDA-cleared and HIPAA compliant health stations across the country, higi is uniquely positioned to reach high-risk populations and safely and securely track population health data at easily accessible food, chain drug, mass and club retailers. To date, more than 43 million unique individuals have used a higi health station to measure their blood pressure, pulse, weight and body mass index and receive critical information to enable and inform their healthcare management.

People with readings of 130 mmHg as the top number (systolic) or 80 mmHg as the bottom one (diastolic) now are considered to have high blood pressure. Previously, high blood pressure was defined as 140/90 mmHg. Under the new guidelines year-to-date, 61.5 percent of higi screenings have results in the hypertensive range.

Hypertension, commonly referred to as high blood pressure, is a key indicator for heart disease and stroke, the two leading causes of death in the world. As tens of millions more Americans receive a high blood pressure diagnosis, higi remains committed to helping reach this high risk population, providing educational resources and motivating individuals to better manage their blood pressure.

"The new guidelines released by ACA and AHA are noteworthy - and indicate the vital importance for individuals to know their key biometrics and what it means for their personal health," said Dr. Khan Siddiqui, higi Chief Medical Officer and Chief Technology Officer. "Under the new guidelines, two-thirds of higi health screenings are in the hypertensive range - a significant increase from 32 percent under the previous guidelines. Uniquely positioned to access high risk populations for hypertension, higi will continue to work with our retail pharmacy and health system partners to motivate individuals to promote lifestyle modifications."

As a population health enablement company, higi abides by the strictest of standards for its healthcare stations and data management. higi’s FDA clearance includes the 2013 standards from the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) for automated blood pressure devices. higi is the only health station in the marketplace that abides by these rigorous standards, and is aligned with the team based hypertension management recommendations under the new guidelines. Through trusted partnerships with retailers and healthcare providers, higi enables individuals to know and track their key biometric health indicators and share screening information in real time with their physician, pharmacist, and other trusted healthcare providers to better manage their personal health.

ABOUT HIGI:

higi is a population health enablement company that is transforming the way communities take care of themselves. higi owns and operates the largest FDA-cleared self-screening health station network in the United States with over 11,000 stations located in food, chain drug, mass merchant and club retailers. higi also operates a robust online community platform that is linked to the higi health station network and over 80 health devices, activity trackers, and apps. To date, more than 43 million people have used a higi health station to conduct over 245 million biometric screenings (blood pressure, pulse, weight, body mass index). Over 6 million people have signed up for a higi account, which offers an all-in-one biometric and activity data feed for personal health management and information sharing with friends, family, and trusted healthcare providers.  For general information, visit us at www.higi.com.

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Interpreta and higi Partner to Combine and Interpret Clinical and Consumer Health Data from Retail Self-Screening Stations, Improving Doctor/Patient Engagement and Closing Gaps in Care