Smartphone Technology Revolutionizes CKD Testing and Care
Smartphones Are Transforming CKD Testing and Care
Healthy.io has shared new results that point to a clear shift in how chronic kidney disease (CKD) can be found and managed. Using a smartphone at home, people completed CKD screening at a rate roughly 2.5 times higher than with usual care. More tests done, earlier in the course of disease, means more chances to act before problems advance.
Home Testing With a Smartphone, Proven Practical
In partnership with healthcare organizations, Healthy.io evaluated smartphone-enabled, at-home albuminuria testing. In Phase 1, adherence to CKD testing climbed sharply compared with traditional pathways. The approach is simple by design: a kit, a phone, and clear guidance—no waiting rooms.
Who Took Part and How the Study Worked
The study enrolled 3,998 adults at increased risk due to type 2 diabetes or hypertension who hadn’t completed a urine albumin-creatinine ratio (uACR) test in the prior year. With Healthy.io’s FDA-cleared Minuteful Kidney app and testing kit, participants could opt in and complete screening from home on their own schedule.
What the Results Showed
Completion rates told the story. Among those offered the Minuteful Kidney option, 53.1% finished testing, far outpacing the 21.3% completion rate in usual care. The pathway was clear: 38.9% completed the Minuteful Kidney test at home, and another 14.2% went on to confirm their results with a lab test—together accounting for the overall 53.1% completion.
Reaching People With Hypertension
For those living with hypertension, the intervention was especially effective: 53.4% completed the uACR test, compared with just 12.5% under usual care. That gap points to how smartphone-enabled testing can surface kidney risk in groups that often slip through the cracks.
From Result to Action, Quickly
When the Minuteful Kidney test flagged an abnormal result, people didn’t wait. Sixty-six percent scheduled an in-app appointment with a healthcare provider. That direct handoff—test to next step—shows how technology can nudge timely care decisions without adding friction.
What Leaders Are Saying
Partners in the effort welcomed the findings. Geoff Martin, CEO of Healthy.io, underscored how everyday smartphone tools can help improve health outcomes at scale. Brian DiDonato of Boehringer Ingelheim stressed the urgency of early detection, noting that an estimated 90% of individuals with CKD are undiagnosed—making simple, accessible testing even more essential.
Where This Could Go Next
These early results support a broader shift toward digital-first prevention and monitoring. By putting early CKD detection in people’s hands at home, care teams can move from reactive treatment to proactive management—finding problems earlier and helping patients take the next step sooner.
About Healthy.io
Healthy.io turns the smartphone camera into a medical device to make care easier to reach. With services focused on at-home testing like urinalysis, the company aims to improve access and patient experience. Its testing solutions have earned recognition for advancing the way routine checks get done.
About Geisinger
Geisinger is a leader in value-based care, serving more than a million people across diverse communities. The organization focuses on practical innovation, clinical research, and education to steadily improve access and outcomes.
About Boehringer Ingelheim
Boehringer Ingelheim develops therapies for pressing health needs. Its long track record of research reflects a commitment to better treatments and better lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What did the study find about CKD testing rates?
Testing completion rose to 53.1% with the Minuteful Kidney pathway, compared with 21.3% in usual care—about a 2.5x increase.
2. How did people complete the test at home?
Participants used Healthy.io’s FDA-cleared Minuteful Kidney app and kit to perform a uACR test at home. Many completed the app-based test (38.9%), and some also confirmed results with a lab test (14.2%).
3. Who participated in the research?
The study included 3,998 adults at risk for CKD because of type 2 diabetes or hypertension who hadn’t had a uACR test in the previous year.
4. What happened when results were abnormal?
People acted quickly: 66% scheduled an in-app appointment with a healthcare provider after receiving an abnormal Minuteful Kidney test result.
5. Why is early detection emphasized so strongly?
Early detection opens the door to earlier care. As Brian DiDonato of Boehringer Ingelheim highlighted, an estimated 90% of people with CKD are undiagnosed, making accessible screening crucial.
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