[Insight Survey] Checking Heart Risk via Smartphone: Approximately 87% Felt the Need for Regular Checkups; Kokoromiru Announces Results of Demonstration in Kumamoto Prefecture's 'UX Project'

As part of the 'UX Project,' a regional problem-solving program promoted by Kumamoto Prefecture, medical tech venture Kokoromiru Inc. conducted a demonstration experiment of a 'preventive healthcare model' that connects smartphone-based screening to at-home ECG testing. The company has published the results of a participant survey. This demonstration experiment verified a 'seamless system from smartphone to precision testing' by combining daily self-checks using the prototype app 'Heart Scan' with the high-precision, at-home, long-duration ECG test 'Home Heart Dock Pro.' ■ Main Demonstration Results (Participant Survey: 30 people) ・Awareness Change: 86.7% reported feeling the 'need for regular checkups' and 'interest in heart disease prevention.' ・Continuity: 70.0% reported that 'using the app for daily checks is not a burden.' ・Medical Collaboration: Of the participants deemed to need further testing, 66.7% expressed a desire to proceed with the precision test (Home Heart Dock Pro). This demonstration represents a significant step forward toward realizing a preventive healthcare model that smoothly connects 'daily checks to at-home precision testing to hospital visits,' starting from a smartphone. Results on Key Issues (Extracted from Survey) 1. 86.7% Felt the Need for Regular Checkups By visualizing their own heart sounds and pulse through 'Heart Scan,' 26 out of 30 participants (86.7%) answered that they 'felt the need to undergo regular checkups.' 2. 86.7% Reported Increased Interest in Heart Disease Prevention Similarly, 26 out of 30 participants (86.7%) answered that they 'became interested in preventing heart disease.' This suggests that easy measurement via smartphone can serve as a trigger for people without subjective symptoms or those who tend to think 'I'm fine' after a health checkup to become interested in their own bodies. 3. 70.0% Reported They Could Check Daily In response to the question, 'Would it not be a burden to check your heart condition daily with the app?', 21 out of 30 participants (70.0%) answered 'not a burden.' While maintaining a health routine is often difficult, this confirms a 70% acceptance rate for daily use by leveraging a common device like a smartphone, overcoming the barrier to daily use. This proves that even for people who tend to give up on health management quickly, it can be seamlessly integrated into their daily routine. 4. 70% Received B or C Ratings; 66.7% Desired Precision Testing After Smartphone Screening In the screening using the smartphone app designed for daily use, 21 out of 30 participants (70.0%) received a 'B or C rating,' indicating a need for more precise testing. Of these, 14 out of 21 (66.7%) expressed a desire to apply for the at-home, long-duration ECG test 'Home Heart Dock Pro' and proceeded to precision testing. This result indicates the potential for the 'measure first' experience via a smartphone app to function as a pathway connecting those in need to more precise testing. 5. 73.3% Wanted Family and Loved Ones to Also Take the Test In response to the question, 'Would you like your family or important people to also take the heart sound app test?', 22 out of 30 participants (73.3%) answered 'yes.' ・I think it's a good app. ・It's surprising that you can do a test with a smartphone. The ease of use is great. ・It was my first time, but it was easy to understand. ・I think it was a good opportunity to become interested in my own body. ・I was initially skeptical, but being able to easily do a delicate test on my own smartphone is a field with future potential. Future Developments and Signs of Problem Solving This demonstration experiment proved that by using the smartphone everyone owns as an 'entry point for preventive healthcare,' it is possible to lower the barrier to the utmost while reliably guiding at-risk individuals to high-precision testing (Home Heart Dock Pro). This end-to-end care pathway of 'measuring first via smartphone and proceeding to precision testing as needed' is a strong sign of a groundbreaking mechanism to prevent future increases in medical and nursing care costs. On the other hand, real-world challenges (UX improvement points) in daily app use were also highlighted. Free-text survey responses included comments about environmental and usability issues, such as 'taking off clothes in winter is cold and bothersome,' 'it picks up ambient noise and causes errors,' and 'the operation button position is hard to press.' Furthermore, regarding important factors for taking a similar test in the future (multiple answers allowed), 25 out of 30 participants cited 'test accuracy' as the most important, followed by 24 out of 30 who cited 'test cost' ('ease of testing' was cited by 14 participants). To deliver high-quality preventive healthcare widely to the public, it was found that, in addition to refining the product to improve operability and accuracy, it is essential to build mechanisms to lower the financial barrier for users, such as creating subsidy models that do not rely solely on out-of-pocket payments. Going forward, Kokoromiru will leverage the 'evidence leading to behavioral change' and the 'real voices (challenges) of citizens' obtained from this demonstration to further improve the product and advance this project, which has been continuously selected for fiscal year 2025. By strengthening collaboration with government subsidy models and corporate health management, the company aims to further develop this as a 'Kumamoto-born social implementation model for preventive healthcare,' where citizens spontaneously become aware of heart risks and connect to medical care before the condition becomes severe. Survey Overview Project Name: UX Project Healthy Life Expectancy Extension Project Region: Kumamoto Prefecture Implementing Company: Kokoromiru Inc. Services Used: Heart Scan, Home Heart Dock Pro Content: Measurement of heart sounds and pulse using smartphones, screening for heart disease risk, connection to at-home long-duration ECG testing Survey Target: Demonstration participants Number of Respondents: 30 *This survey is based on a questionnaire of demonstration participants, with 30 respondents. The results indicate trends among the participants and are not representative of the entire population of Kumamoto Prefecture. About Heart Scan 'Heart Scan' is a prototype app that uses a smartphone to measure heart sounds and pulse, encouraging awareness of heart risks. By allowing users to easily check their heart condition in daily life, it aims to increase interest in risks that are difficult to see with conventional health checkups alone and to connect users to more precise testing or medical consultation as needed. About Home Heart Dock Pro A small electrocardiograph is attached to the chest to record ECG data for over 9 hours. A clinical laboratory technician analyzes the results and provides a report. This long-duration ECG measurement can detect hidden heart disease risks that are not found in the approximately 15-second tests of conventional health checkups or comprehensive medical examinations. Furthermore, it can simultaneously detect sleep apnea syndrome (SAS), sleep quality, and signs of stress. An online clinic is also available, allowing users to receive a doctor's consultation from home or obtain a referral letter to a university hospital if desired. Home Heart Dock Pro uses medical devices but allows testing at home, enabling users to easily receive a medical-grade examination without the hassle of hospital visits.