GiftCard Partners Blog

Heart disease remains the #1 cause of death in the United States and creates an enormous burden for people, communities, and healthcare providers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 655,000 Americans die from heart disease each year, which is 1 in every 4 deaths (Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention, 2020).  

The cash vs. gift card debate in the reward and incentive world has a common misconception that cash is more appealing, therefore more motivating, to someone receiving it. However, studies show that gift cards are not only more intrinsically appealing, but also more effective at creating positive associations and changing behavior.

The rate of people with chronic health conditions is growing and, unfortunately, people often have more than one condition. Half of adult Americans have at least one chronic condition, and more than two thirds of Medicare patients have two or more, according to a 2019 Premier analysis of emergency rooms across the country.

Healthcare providers face perennial challenges that put them in the middle between patients who need the best care possible and insurance programs, who ensure providers are getting compensated fairly for that care. Layered on top of those challenges are the realities that doctors and hospitals care practices are measured, in some part, by their ability to help patients stay healthy.

Health information technology (HIT) has the potential to change patient care in the future, but reality needs to catch up with the aspiration.