Big box wholesaler Sam’s Club is wading into digital health territory via a new partnership with digital health kiosk company higi, offering free, self-service health screening to 622 Sam’s Club locations with pharmacies around the country.

Chicago-based higi’s kiosks allow users to self-check their blood pressure, pulse, weight and body mass index as well as integrate with over 80 health devices, activity trackers and apps. The information is stored on an online platform where, once creating an account, users’ vitals are gamified and converted to a single “HigiScore” that represents the user’s overall wellness. Users can access the platform online and through a mobile app to track their health over time.

This service builds on Sam Club’s existing free health screening program, which the company offers every month from January through October to members and the general public. The launch of higi took place last weekend, during Sam’s Club’s promoted “Healthy at Heart” screening event that included testing for total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, blood pressure, body fact percentage, glucose and, in some locations, vision and hearing.

“Knowing how challenging it can be for some people to find the time to get a checkup, we believe higi’s self-service stations will be a great tool to complement our monthly health screening program, as they both help make it easier for people learn more about their health,” Jill Turner-Mitchael, senior vice president, Sam’s Club Consumables & Health and Wellness, said in a statement. “We also recognize the importance of using the latest technology to motivate people to live healthier lives, so our partnership with higi is a perfect match.”

The health kiosk company has gained quite a bit of traction since founding in 2012. It officially launched at SXSW in 2013, and their kiosks are now deployed in thousands of stores across the country, including Whole Foods, CVS and Publix. In 2014, they partnered with Rite Aid to offer kiosks in 4,100 stores, and later merged with fellow kiosk company Stayhealthy. Last year, the company raised $40 million.

“We believe understanding and tracking your personal biometric data is key to living a healthy life, so we make it as easy as possible for people to do just that with our unique screening technology and digital platforms that interface with leading health devices, fitness trackers or apps that people are already using,” higi CEO Jeff Bennett said in a statement. “We are thrilled to be partnering with Sam’s Club to make these innovative resources available and to help more people be proactive about their health.”

Source: http://www.mobihealthnews.com/content/sams-club-teams-higi-offer-health-screening-kiosk-app-members