Almost every healthcare journey starts with medical imaging. A CT scan, X-ray, or MRI can help medical teams diagnose and build care plans for a patient. However, that same patient has historically faced barriers to accessing and owning their medical imaging, making it difficult for them to advocate for their care and leaving them at risk of delayed care and missed diagnosis.
Over the past eight years, PocketHealth has helped solve this exact problem. Now with over 775 connected hospitals and imaging centers, PocketHealth empowers over 1.5 million patients to access, understand and act on the results of their medical imaging. And this week, the company launched its PocketHealth Basic plan, offering patients free access to their medical imaging and reports.
鈥淏eing able to access their medical imaging records means more patients will be able to actively participate in their health journey and collaborate more effectively with their healthcare providers.鈥 says Rishi Nayyar, PocketHealth鈥檚 Co-Founder and CEO.
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Just this year, Rishi experienced first hand how access to imaging results can impact your outcomes as a patient. Suffering from severe abdominal pain, Nayyar went to a hospital emergency room where they ran a CT scan and told him that the results would be sent to his doctor. They sent him home.
Still feeling unwell the next day with no call from his doctor, he logged into his PocketHealth account. Seeing that his results were available, he forwarded them to a couple of radiologists he knew. One of them immediately called him.
鈥淗e said, 鈥榊ou need to get back to the emergency department. Your gallbladder is extremely inflamed, and it looks like the infection has spread,鈥欌 said Nayyar. 鈥淚 went back to the emergency department and the first thing they said was, 鈥榃e should never have let you go home.鈥 I ended up having my gallbladder removed that night.
鈥淭o this day, my family doctor hasn鈥檛 received the report. It could have been a very bad situation.鈥
That鈥檚 the positive outcome that access and ownership have had on countless patients鈥 care journeys. With the launch of PocketHealth Basic, the company hopes to expand that positive impact to a much broader group of patients, offering better access at no cost.
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A PocketHealth-Leger poll conducted in the spring of 2023 found that 68 per cent of Canadians wish to have their medical imaging information available to better advocate for themselves, and that nearly three of four people surveyed believe that patients should have access to their medical imaging results at the same time as their doctor. As well, 85 per cent agreed that accessing their medical images and reports made them less anxious about their diagnosis.
鈥淚t鈥檚 about having this sense of control, and we have that in almost every other area of our life,鈥 Nayyar said. 鈥淔or many people, not having their results leads to a loss of control or anxiety. What we are finding is that 15 years ago that was the minority of patients, but now, after Covid, it is the majority of patients that want that access and control.鈥
While PocketHealth Basic gives patients access to their imaging and reports, users can also opt to add additional features through paid plans, including Report Reader, that translates the medical jargon in the reports into patient-friendly language and identifies any next steps, and MyCare Navigator, which equips patients with relevant, personalized questions to ask their doctor based of their imagine results. Users also have the option of uploading other medical information to the app, including their vaccination history or lab results.
Nayyar said PocketHealth helps patients proactively work within the medical system by giving you gives the tools to navigate your health care journey in an informed and empowered way.
鈥淵ou never know when it will make a difference in your health journey,鈥 said Nayyar. 鈥淢edical professionals like empowered patients and they want to be pointed in the right direction. When I went back to the emergency room and had the results of my CT scan, they were thankful that I highlighted it.鈥
To learn more about PocketHealth, and to access your records for free, visit .
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