Aetna and Silverlink Receive TripleTree iAward for Innovative Program to Help Members Better Manage Diabetes

HARTFORD, Conn., & BURLINGTON, Mass., June 20, 2012 — Aetna (NYSE: ΑET) and Silverlink Communications, Inc. today announced that their text messaging program for members diagnosed with diabetes received a top award at the 2012 TripleTree iAwards for Wireless Health. The program was one of three winners among 160 nominated programs and won in the category of Consumer Innovation.

The Aetna and Silverlink program helps members diagnosed with diabetes take charge of their health and better manage this increasingly pervasive chronic condition. Participants receive weekly text messages that deliver important education and support including diet and exercise tips; the importance of getting needed tests and screenings; and reminding participants to take their medications as prescribed. In addition, members also have the ability to respond to selected texts indicating if they scheduled an appointment for necessary tests and screenings, if their prescriptions were refilled and if they wanted to speak to a health coach. 

“We are excited to receive this recognition for a program that can help address one of the most significant health issues our country faces - diabetes,” said Susan Kosman, R.N., Aetna chief nursing officer. “With more than105 million Americans suffering from diabetes or pre-diabetes, programs that can help diabetics better manage their condition can not only improve their health on a personal level, but help reduce health care costs associated with diabetes.”

Early results from the three-month program show strong improvements in member engagement:

• More than 95 percent of the approximately 2,700 participants stayed enrolled throughout the entire program.
• 83 percent agreed that the text messages helped them think about or make lifestyle changes such as eating better or getting more exercise.
• 76 percent agreed that the text messages encouraged them to see their doctor for necessary diabetes tests or screenings.

Participants in the program also showed significant improvement in medication adherence and members getting appropriate lab screenings. Members receiving texts were also more likely to engage with Aetna nurse case managers in a disease management program.

“Text messaging is playing an increasingly important role to engage individuals in their health,” says Dr. Jan Berger, chief medical officer of Silverlink. “By reaching individuals where they are and using simple and clear communications, we have demonstrated that we can positively impact how individuals with diabetes manage their health. We are proud to share this award with Aetna, be recognized for our joint innovation, and help Aetna’s members with diabetes achieve their optimal health.”

The TripleTree iAwards recognize and reward exceptional companies that are demonstrating insight, innovation, and initiative in the healthcare industry. The award is focused on transformative solutions that are shaping the future of healthcare.

About Aetna
Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 36.1 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities, Medicaid health care management services and health information technology services. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, health care providers, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, see www.aetna.com. 

About Silverlink
At Silverlink, we get that health and healthcare costs – which are enormous, in both size and significance – are actually the sum of millions of individual decisions. When one person decides to smoke, another gets a cancer screening, a third abandons diabetes medication – these are the individual behaviors that taken together make up the state of our nation’s health and the costs associated with it. That is why, when Silverlink set out to transform healthcare, we went right to the individual. Our entire focus, our mission, and our method are about helping move individual people in small, healthier ways – the cumulative effect of which can save millions of lives and billions of dollars. To learn more about what makes Silverlink the leader in consumer health engagement, please visit www.silverlink.com, email info@silverlink.com, or call 1.781.425.5700.

Silverlink is a registered trademark of Silverlink Communications, Inc. All other brand and product names contained in this release may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.