Three quarters of Brits unaware phones can detect heart problems.

Affordable healthcare provider Benenden Health has expanded its digital health offering heart rhythm monitoring checks to its 875,000+ members. This new service enables members to check their heart rhythm anytime, anywhere, using only their smartphone camera.

The partnership with FibriCheck complements new Benenden Health research revealing that three quarters of UK adults (73%) do not know that heart rate monitoring can be carried out via a smartphone, despite over half (56%) believing that certified medical tests can be performed on such devices. Only 27% recognised that heart monitoring could be done this way, and just 10% had checked their heart rate via a phone app in the past year.

The research has also identified that heart health awareness remains low across the UK. Two-fifths (40%) of adults say they have limited awareness of their heart health, rising to nearly half (49%) of those aged 35–54. Only 20% of the public are concerned about their heart health, despite cardiovascular disease being one of the nation’s leading causes of death. 

FibriCheck is a CE-marked, clinically validated medical device that uses digital technology to analyse heart rhythm through a smartphone camera. Over the past year, 10,551 Benenden Health members activated the service, with 92% going on to perform heart rhythm assessments. This resulted in more than 8.5 million heartbeats analysed, demonstrating strong engagement with proactive cardiac monitoring.

The clinical impact of this collaboration has been significant.

• 540 members recorded at least one Atrial Fibrillation (AF) detection, with 251 of these individuals reporting no symptoms, highlighting the silent nature of the condition and the importance of early detection.
• A further 286 members recorded symptomatic AF episodes, capturing rhythm data at the moment symptoms occurred.
• 2,900 members experienced symptoms such as palpitations but showed no AF, receiving immediate reassurance through the digital service and reducing unnecessary GP visits, referrals and anxiety.

FibriCheck CEO, Lars Grieten, added: “We are proud to support Benenden Health members in monitoring their heart rhythm with confidence. By transforming a smartphone into a medical-grade screening tool, we help users detect irregularities early, share accurate data with clinicians and take action sooner when required.”