Introducing Better, the Personal Health Assistant

PALO ALTO, Calif. and ROCHESTER, Minn., April 16, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Better, a consumer health start-up, and Mayo Clinic today launched a new way for people to navigate the complexity of the healthcare system simply and quickly.  Through a mobile device, Better provides tailored Mayo Clinic health information, 24/7 access to the clinic's experienced and highly-skilled nurses, and a Better Personal Health Assistant who helps simplify and manage people's care so they can use their time to focus on being well.

"Our culture of learning, innovation, and the desire to find answers has allowed Mayo to remain at the forefront of health and wellness, and we want to extend this expertise to people anywhere," explained Dr. Paul Limburg, Medical Director of Mayo Clinic Global Business Solutions. "People consistently tell us they want more convenient access to Mayo Clinic knowledge. We collaborated with and invested in Better to create a powerful way for people to connect with Mayo Clinic in their homes and communities, wherever they are."

"All too often, people struggle to find good answers when it comes to getting great care," explained Geoff Clapp, Better co-founder and chief executive officer. "We've remade this experience, in collaboration with Mayo Clinic, by combining technology and people to help anyone navigate the complexities of healthcare. From finding the right doctor after a job change, to managing your child's symptoms in the middle of the night, to getting the most value out of your healthcare plan, Better helps make sure people spend less time on complexity and more time on their health."

How Better Works
Download the app and enter individual and family health information to start a Better membership. This information is used to deliver personalized health information from Mayo Clinic -- for free -- based on the member's health-related interests and medical history. Built upon Mayo Clinic knowledge, a "symptom checker" feature is integrated into the service so a member can quickly gain a deeper understanding of a specific issue and get suggestions on what to do to get better.

Members can also connect with a Better Personal Health Assistant should a situation arise where they need involved or more immediate attention. Better Personal Health Assistants are trained health professionals who can quickly provide information or direct any necessary next steps, including making an appointment with someone's existing physician or connecting with a Mayo Clinic nurse. The Better Personal Health Assistant can also serve as a guide on many other health-related issues, from selecting a doctor, creating a family health action plan, or even sorting out how to get the most out of one's health insurance.

Pricing
The core membership, which provides tailored health information from Mayo Clinic, is free. The premium membership, which pairs a member and their family with a Better Personal Health Assistant, is $49.99 per month.

Better is powered by an individual's health information, and is committed to protecting it. The company complies with all health information standards concerning personal privacy.

To download the app visit the Apple App Store on your iPhone or iPad and search for "Get Better" or go to http://getbetter.com/app.

To learn more and to check out what Better members are saying visit: http://www.youtube.com/betterpha or follow Better on Twitter @betterpha.

About Better
Better is a consumer health start-up which offers a Personal Health Assistant service for people to manage the complexity of healthcare in order to focus on being well.  In collaboration with Mayo Clinic, Better delivers uniquely tailored advice, and access to expert care –- simply and on-demand from a mobile device. Blending world-class medical expertise with technology and design, Better's founding team includes executives from some of the world's most successful health technology and consumer Internet companies.  Visit Better at http://www.getbetter.com.

About Mayo Clinic
Recognizing 150 years of serving humanity in 2014, Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit worldwide leader in medical care, research and education for people from all walks of life. For more information, visit 150years.mayoclinic.org, http://www.mayoclinic.org and newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org.

SOURCE Better