Signify Health is expanding its in-home diagnostics offering to include a test for heart arrhythmias.
The CVS Health subsidiary said Tuesday that the prevalence of irregular heartbeats is set to grow alongside an aging population. Atrial fibrillation, the most common type of arrhythmia, can be asymptomatic, and there are likely between 1.26 million and 1.52 million undiagnosed cases.
Patients with a heart arrhythmia who are undiagnosed may face symptoms like shortness of breath, chest pain and rapid or irregular heartbeat, and face potential stroke or diabetes.
Through the program, Signify members who are at risk for an arrhythmia are identified, and then its clinical teams will test for contraindications. Members will asked to wear a continuous ECG patch, which tracks continuous cardiac activity, and, after 14 days, the team will review the results for signs of irregular heartbeat.
“Early detection of heart arrhythmias is critical to enabling treatment that can decrease the likelihood of a complication, like heart failure or stroke," said Heidi Schwarzwald, M.D., chief medical officer for Signify Health home and community services, in the press release. "Traditional methods of arrhythmia testing are costly, time-consuming with multiple doctor visits, and are less than optimal for members, which is why Signify Health has launched a proactive approach to help facilitate a timely intervention and reduce the risk of other cardiovascular events."
The company said that using a continuous ECG patch to test and monitor arrhythmia offers a better patient experience than traditional tools like the Holter monitor, citing a study that found 94% of people found the patch comfortable to wear compared to 52% on the Holter device.
In addition, the intervention can avoid unnecessary costs and visits with multiple providers, Signify said.
The move is the latest step from Signify to expand its in-home testing options. Of late, it's also added testing for chronic kidney disease as well as spirometry tests for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Signify was acquired by CVS Health in March 2023 and is now part of its Healthspire segment.