Leveraging principles of behavioural economics to encourage patient engagement with population health screening programmes

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. We leveraged behavioural economics principles to encourage screening for cardiovascular disease risk factors. In a pilot, 60 high-risk patients were offered a complimentary home BP monitor and a lipid test through more convenient means (local lab, home phlebotomy, or self-test), along with financial incentives. Of these, 43.3% submitted the required BP readings, compared with 30.0% in a historical control group; 30.0% completed the lipid panel, versus 18.1% historically. While these results suggest that convenience and incentives can increase participation, over half of participants still did not complete the screenings, indicating a need for additional strategies to fully engage at-risk populations.