Can a face scan be the next great benefits innovation?

In an ongoing effort to keep up with technology and AI trends, a national not-for-profit health solutions provider has launched a “second skin” for those who might need it.

PerkkCheck is a digital screening solution to help employees self-monitor their health. Medavie, a national health solutions partner that integrates benefits management, health management and health care delivery, is the organization behind the product.

Melanie Yeung, director of digital products at Medavie, says the launch of the product signifies an exciting time.

“There's been a tremendous shift and trend towards looking for innovative ways to do preventative care,” says Yeung. “Given the capacity issues and some of the areas around primary care resourcing, we are looking and hearing from individuals going, ‘How do I take care of myself? How do I get empowered? And how do I use information in such a way that I can be actionable and in control of my health and wellness?’”

Perkk Check is an application that can be downloaded onto a phone, tablet or computer. It should be noted that access to a front facing camera and internet, or WiFi access is also required to use the app. Perkk Check uses “embedded novel scan technology inside the application”, says Yeung.

“Within 30 seconds, it takes a scan of an individual's face, and detects the light reflection off the skin. It's not facial recognition or image, it's blood data and blood flow, just similar to how you can detect blushing, for example, in someone's face,” Yeung explains.

“The camera can record, through the 30 seconds period, this blood flow change as your heart is beating, and blood is flowing through the face. Once that 30th second has captured all that information, we use machine learning and AI algorithms to predict and present the user with over 30 health and wellness indicators, from heart rate to blood pressure to stress levels.”

Within a minute, individuals can have a wealth of data and information about their wellbeing, Yeung added, which includes everything from physical scores, vital scores, risk assessment, as well as mental health assessments.

“It's a very holistic approach,” she said.

As for who will benefit the most from Perkk Check, Yeung highlighted the main audience for the product is currently for plan sponsors and employers. “There's definitely more interest in employers to taking proactive steps for their employees and their population,” she said. “Offering workplace wellness resources and tools like Perkk Check is certainly something that people are interested in and providing to their employees.”

For the plan sponsors and employees who are interested enrolling in the product, there’s several benefits for doing so.

 “Ultimately, the employees are going to have something that is innovative. An application at their fingertips to collect this data,” she said. “But for the employer, we're also looking at creating data driven insights and reports on their population. What are the additional programs and services within their benefits plan that they could facilitate, and offer to their employees to get that holistic wellness and prevention approach? We want to equip both the employee and the employer with the data that they need to actually drive the outcomes, which is prevention of disease and risk.”

Perkk Check does not replace the need for physician care, Yeung highlighted, but rather is meant as an “augmentation of identifying things that might be of concern.”

“We are looking to help facilitate and inform that end user create more health literacy, knowledge and awareness about things,” says Yeung. “We embed some health articles within the application for them to really understand ‘What does it mean to have elevated blood pressure? What can I do in terms of my diet and exercise? And where can I seek more help?’”

Medavie is looking at new models of care and new technology to facilitate the new mindset, culture and change around prevention that is trending, Yeung noted. Mllennials, Gen Z's and the up-and-coming workforce is expecting new things to support them in their unique lifestyles.

“Perkk Check is certainly something that could be customized for the organizations,” she said. “We're flexible in the ways that they want to address their employee population, and we want to facilitate and continue to support that.”

“The timing feels so right for this. I think people are eager and wanting, and we'll continue to see that type of trend in the next few years.”