Offers Access to Health Data on the Go
Curious how your blood sugar levels are trending, or trying to stay on top of your weight or blood pressure? For Ibis Health members, access to that information could soon be as close as a wallet or in the palm of their hands.
Last month, Ibis Health launched a pilot program to introduce its newest innovation, known as the Ibis Passport. A plastic card the size of a credit card (see image above right), the Ibis Passport allows members to access their self-reported health data on the go, creating an easy way for them to share it with medical providers or family.
The goal is to bridge the gaps between care that members receive in their doctor’s office and the efforts and work they are doing at home through the Ibis platform in order to help keep themselves healthy in between visits, according to Dr. Karthik Ravindran, MD, Medical Director for Ibis Health and a board-certified internist who specializes in chronic care management.
“It’s an exciting way to help strengthen the connection between the care at home and the care in the clinic, and hopefully improve the experience that patients have with their providers out in the community,” Dr. Ravindran said. “The Ibis Passport is mobile, and it travels with the member.”
Each Ibis Passport contains a QR code that is unique to the member. A quick scan allows members or anyone else they choose to share it with access to reports that show their latest vitals, adherence to medications, exercise and other data, including graphs that display trends over time. The health data accessible through the QR code is completely secure, with end-to-end data encryption and no personal identifying information attached, to protect members’ privacy. Members can take the Ibis Passport to their appointments, allowing their medical providers to quickly see how they are doing and any progress they’ve made.
“In a 15-minute visit, physicians spend about 8-9 minutes just trying to gather information about what’s happened in the last six months or year, and this allows members to just hand the information to them,” Dr. Ravindran continued. “This gives you more time with your provider to actually discuss your goals and any other concerns you have, because you are not spending time on data gathering.”
The Ibis Passport could also help providers make better informed decisions for patients by adding historical context to what they observe in the office, Dr. Ravindran said. For example, if a blood pressure reading in the office is high but data show a member’s readings at home have been great, the provider may be more inclined to ignore that single high reading and continue to monitor rather than jumping to a more invasive approach.
The pilot program for the Ibis Passport initially includes 10 members, with the goal to begin rolling it out to all existing members by mid-year. If all goes well, the Ibis Passport could be available to new Ibis Health members as soon as the end of 2024. “I believe members are going to like this, because it gives them the power in their hands,” said Melissa Tutlis, an Ibis Health Member Advocate who has helped spearhead development of the Ibis Passport. “They have something they can show to their providers and it’s easily accessible — it fits easily into their wallet and they can carry it with them.”
Senscio Systems has been partnering with Mass Retirees to offer the Ibis Health program to its members. Designed to empower retirees with two or more chronic conditions to take control of their well-being in between doctor visits, Ibis Health utilizes a remote care team and the patented AI-powered IbisHub platform that connects members to clinical specialists in real time. Self-reported data create insights for timely intervention and early detection, and advocates work one-on-one to provide coaching and support, allowing many Ibis members to improve their health and achieve their goals in ways that work for them. Ibis Health is available to all Massachusetts retirees with Medicare Part B coverage who qualify. To learn more about the program, log onto www.ibishealth.org/voice.
You can learn more about Ibis Health online at ibishealth.org or by calling 888-626-9995.