CardioSignal and Mehiläinen continue population health program for earlier detection of atrial fibrillation
October 19, 12:10
CardioSignal and Mehiläinen, a well-known private provider of social and healthcare services in the Nordics, have formed a successful population health model to advance earlier detection of atrial fibrillation, a massive health care burden in the society today and a significant cause of hospitalization among older adults.
The population health model continues with another 10,000 individuals, with the goal of further researching how early intervention and digital health engagement affects seeking care for heart rhythm disorders. The two previous programs have proven effective in earlier diagnostics and providing digital, easy-to-adopt tools for screening atrial fibrillation at home.
“Chronic conditions such as heart disease put a major strain on population health. Too often patients have already suffered a life-altering complication by the time they are diagnosed. I am thrilled that we have found a successful, repeatable model for tackling the growing burden of atrial fibrillation which is an essential cause of ischemic strokes. This successful model can be applied to other heart disease programs in the future as our technology develops,” says cardiologist Juuso Blomster, CEO and co-founder of CardioSignal.
Atrial fibrillation is considered a major public health challenge with increased associated comorbidities and mortality. It is the most common heart rhythm disorder, impacting more than 11 million people in Europe alone (1). Atrial fibrillation may present with mild or no symptoms, which causes delays in diagnostics. It is the leading preventable cause of ischemic stroke and a major risk factor for heart failure and dementia.
“At Mehiläinen, we are committed to focusing on the accessibility and ease of use of digital health services among our customers. This program removes many traditional challenges related to digital literacy and juggling additional devices. I am excited to be part of creating impactful care strategies that concretely improve health outcomes for our customers”, said Essi Kainonen, Medical Director, Digital Health Services at Mehiläinen.
The program by Mehiläinen and CardioSignal for earlier detection of atrial fibrillation has overcome significant hurdles in both accessibility and scalability.
Previously, nearly 8,500 individuals in the 50+ age group were engaged for regular measurements with the CardioSignal application over a span of just 3 weeks
Onboarding took about 15 minutes after having received the invitation to join
Only about 5% of the target population needed any assistance with the self-onboarding
93% of users (average age 64) said measuring was easy
The CardioSignal application works by placing a smartphone on the chest for 60 seconds. During the 1-minute measurement, the application harnesses the sensitive motion sensors of a smartphone to assess cardiac motion and function. The results indicating whether signs of atrial fibrillation were detected or not are available in the application immediately after the measurement.
This method, gyrocardiography, has been found to have 96% accuracy (2) in clinical trials. As further clinical applications are developed, CardioSignal’s gyrocardiography method has the potential to transform the way remote cardiac care is provided for many major heart diseases that completely lack at-home detection solutions.
Further information
CardioSignal:
CEO Juuso Blomster, juuso.blomster@cardiosignal.com
Communications Director Juulia Simonen, juulia.simonen@cardiosignal.com, tel. +358503059018
Mehiläinen:
Medical Director, Digital Health Services Essi Kainonen, essi.kainonen@mehilainen.fi
About CardioSignal
We develop groundbreaking solutions for the detection of heart diseases with digital cardiac biomarkers. The CardioSignal technology utilizes motion sensors to non-invasively measure cardiac motion and function. Originally an academic spinoff, the company’s patented technology is built on a decade of research and algorithm development. CardioSignal is a brand and a product by Precordior, a health technology company based in Finland and the United States. www.cardiosignal.com
Mehiläinen Group is a well-known and highly valued private provider of social and healthcare services, offering comprehensive high-quality services in Finland and internationally. 113-year-old Mehiläinen is a rapidly developing and growing leader in the industry. Mehiläinen invests in the possibilities of digitalisation and the effectiveness and quality of care in all its business areas.
Mehiläinen serves 2.1 million customers annually, and services are produced at 820 locations by more than 33,000 employees and private practitioners. Internationally, Mehiläinen provides healthcare services in Sweden, Germany, and Estonia, as well as digital healthcare software solutions through its subsidiary BeeHealthy.
1. Global Burden of Disease Collaborative Network, https://www.healthdata.org/gbd.
2. Jaakkola et al. Mobile Phone Detection of Atrial Fibrillation With Mechanocardiography: The MODE-AF Study (Mobile Phone Detection of Atrial Fibrillation). Circulation. 2018.
