BioIQ Announces New Initiative to Educate Veterans and Legislators On Importance of Colorectal Cancer Screening

The best test for detecting CRC is the one that gets done

ATLANTA–(BUSINESS WIRE)–BioIQ,
a healthcare technology company that enables organizations to better
connect with their populations to achieve health improvement goals,
today announced a new initiative to educate veterans and legislators on
the importance of easy-to-use tests for colorectal cancer (CRC)
screening and the need for those tests to be simple, convenient and
private.

The
initiative supports the outreach of the Veteran’s Administration (VA),
as well as other organizations, in highlighting the importance of such
screenings and how the availability of newer in-home tests can help
veterans in rural areas or without access to transportation, better
access this important screening.

Tracel Wilt, an army veteran who graduated from the U.S. Military
Academy at West Point, and now vice president of Government
Relations for BioIQ, is helping lead the company’s initiative. The
outreach effort includes communicating with key legislators about the
risk factors veterans face for CRC; the value provided by simple-to-use,
in-home tests that are supported by BioIQ’s automated engagement
solutions; and how tests that get done can help save thousands of lives.

“CRC is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths,” said Wilt.
“We must better educate the nation’s veteran community about colon
cancer, and do all we can to maximize participation in screening
programs. Our test is done in the privacy of a home or other setting the
veteran prefers. It’s very quick, easy and takes away the fear factor
many patients have about time-consuming and invasive colonoscopies.”

The VA has made it a priority to screen its patients ages 50-75 for CRC.
There are three primary screening methods, including colonoscopy, used
by the VA. In the past few years, the VA also began encouraging the use
of the fecal immunochemical test (FIT), which also detects CRC signs and
can be conducted at home.

Results from a pilot program conducted by the Iowa City Veterans Affairs
Health Care System, published in the Journal
of the American Board of Family Medicine, showed that a majority
of patients reported being more likely to participate in a yearly FIT
than the more invasive colonoscopy. The article also noted,
“Participants overwhelmingly reported that the FIT was easy to use and
convenient (89%), and being likely to complete a mailed FIT each year
(97%).”

BioIQ, the company pioneering easy-to-access FIT programs for a wide
range of populations, currently works with 20 health plans nationwide,
and helps to streamline screening and close gaps in care by automating
the workflow involved in testing, from engagement to results.

“BioIQ
is committed to helping all populations achieve 80% compliance with
CRC screening guidelines by 2018,” said Justin Bellante, CEO and founder
of BioIQ. “If we can educate legislators and veterans about this simple,
private test, and ensure its availability is communicated to all
veterans, we can better implement a stronger screening program and
together reach and exceed our nation’s CRC screening goals.”

About BioIQ

BioIQ
is a healthcare technology company that enables organizations to connect
with their populations, measure vital health metrics, and achieve health
improvement goals. BioIQ works with some of the largest employers and
health companies in the nation. Since its inception in 2005, BioIQ has
launched thousands of successful health improvement programs serving
millions of participants.

Contacts

BioIQ
Pete Desai, 805-563-1309
EVP Corporate Development and
Marketing
pdesai@bioiq.com