In a groundbreaking move, Cardio Diagnostics, a precision cardiovascular medicine company, is set to introduce its innovative AI-driven epigenetic-genetic blood tests in one of the nation’s largest retailers.
Expanding to Reach More Communities
Commencing the second quarter of 2024, Cardio Diagnostics, trading under the ticker symbol CDIO, will roll out its advanced blood-based epigenetic-genetic tests, Epi+Gen CHD and PrecisionCHD, at the Walmart Supercenter in Round Lake Beach, Illinois. This strategic move by the company marks the beginning of a remarkable retail healthcare initiative, expanding its collaboration with Family Medicine Specialists (FMS).
By launching the Heart Attack Prevention Initiative, FMS initiated the deployment of Epi+Gen CHD to no less than 1,200 patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors across its BlueCross BlueShield Medicare, Medicaid, HMO, and PPO health plans. This partnership aims to offer early heart attack risk prevention, extending substantial value to health plans and delivering mutual benefits to patients and providers.
Leveraging Cardio Diagnostics’ technology, FMS is making clinical cardiovascular diagnostic solutions more accessible, transcending traditional provider settings and extending into the realm of retail healthcare, benefiting hundreds of additional patients in Lake County, Illinois.
Meesha Dogan, Ph.D., Co-Founder and CEO of Cardio Diagnostics, expressed, “Our partnership with FMS to bring our tests to their Walmart locations is a game-changer in the field of cardiovascular health management. By integrating Cardio Diagnostics’ state-of-the-art clinical tests within FMS’s expansive retail network, we are shifting the paradigm from a model that relies on specialty care infrastructure to one that meets American communities in their backyard. This strategic alliance not only democratizes access to top-tier heart disease services but also propels Cardio Diagnostics as a leader in cardiovascular retail healthcare innovation. Our ultimate goal is to meet patients where they are, weaving advanced medical services seamlessly into the fabric of their everyday lives.”
Enhancing Accessibility to High-quality Healthcare
The expansion of retail healthcare is gaining momentum, with more Americans embracing the convenience and accessibility of high-quality healthcare services. According to the most recent report by AMN Healthcare, 30.3% (79.6 million) of Americans received care at a retail clinic, a figure projected to increase to 32.8% in 2024.
At the Round Lake Beach Walmart location of FMS, individuals will have access to both of Cardio Diagnostics’ clinical blood tests. Epi+Gen CHD and PrecisionCHD, these tests effectively detect heart attack risk and coronary heart disease status and are easily administered in the retail healthcare setting as they only require a simple blood draw, bringing this vital service closer to patients.
Jason Bellucci, MBA, President of Family Medicine Specialists, stated, “At Family Medicine Specialists, we have multiple retail healthcare partnerships and are particularly excited about our unique and innovative partnership with Cardio Diagnostics, a leader in clinical cardiovascular diagnostic solutions. This collaboration will enable us to bring advanced cardiac diagnostic tools directly into our retail healthcare clinic locations, enhancing our ability to provide more advanced patient care without the need for additional infrastructure. We believe that this partnership will empower our clinicians with additional resources to better serve our patients’ needs.”
Providing Timely Precision Cardiovascular Testing
In today’s healthcare landscape, obtaining specialized tests for assessing heart attack risk or diagnosing coronary heart disease often involves navigating complex schedules and significant wait times. While primary care and family medicine practices have managed to maintain relatively shorter waits, specialty areas like cardiology have seen a significant rise, with the average wait time now extending to about 26.6 days. This delay particularly impacts cardiology patients, where timely intervention can be crucial.
Considering that 45% of Americans are projected to have some form of cardiovascular disease by 2035, the pressing question arises: How can Americans and their providers quickly gain clarity about a patient’s heart disease without weeks of waiting for a specialist appointment? One solution is the routine availability of cardiology specialty tests in community settings, such as retail healthcare stores.
With the deployment of Cardio Diagnostics’ advanced blood tests across select Walmart locations, the company endeavors to address the critical issue of increasing wait times for specialty care. As the company begins with the Round Lake Beach location, the prospect of expanding to other Walmart stores signifies a crucial opportunity to reduce wait times for cardiac assessments and care, ultimately advancing community-based access to heart disease solutions.
Cardio Diagnostics is dedicated to continuing its mission of establishing a robust retail healthcare presence and enhancing existing heart disease-related services with precision cardiovascular diagnostic and risk assessment technologies.
Featured photo by Marques Thomas on Unsplash.
This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be investing advice.
