April 1, 2020

Independent Health Partners with Brook Personal Health Companion to Provide Western New York Community Access to Health Support During COVID-19 Emergency

WILLIAMSVILLE, NY – Independent Health today announced it is expanding its partnership with Brook, an innovative Seattle-based technology company, to offer the Western New York community free access to the Brook Personal Health Companion App for the duration of the COVID-19 health emergency.

“Members and non-members alike are looking for helpful information and support as the Coronavirus continues to grip our region,” said Michael W. Cropp, M.D., President & CEO, Independent Health. “Everybody is concerned about their personal health like never before, and they are motivated to understand what they can do to protect themselves and their families as we continue to navigate these uncharted waters. Those living with existing chronic conditions are especially stressed and looking for answers.”

Dr. Cropp said the Brook team includes registered dietitians, certified diabetes educators, and nutritionists. Its medical advisory board consists of top research physicians and leading diabetes experts. Their role is to help individuals better understand their personal health situations and risks, make healthy choices from home, and act as a bridge between healthy behaviors and guiding people to the right medical assistance for as long as the crisis continues.

“By supporting our members as they make adjustments to their daily lives during this challenging time, Brook has increasingly become an extension of our RedShirt treatment,” Dr. Cropp said. “We want everyone in Western New York to have access to this valuable resource and we are thrilled to extend our partnership by making the Brook Health Companion app available to the entire community, seven days a week during this time of need.”

Dr. Cropp emphasized Brook does not provide medical advice and those experiencing Coronavirus-like symptoms should continue to contact their own primary care physician. “If any of our members do not have a doctor, our member service representatives can connect them with one right away,” he added.

Oren Nissim, Brook CEO, said the company is pleased to collaborate with Independent Health to expand its services to the entire region at no cost, for as long as they are needed.

“Living healthy is a continuous challenge that has now become even harder. We built Brook to simplify the daily choices we can make to feel our best. Our highly personalized 24-7 health companion service is here to support members and has now been extended to provide information on how to keep healthy and react to COVID-19. Our service includes health coaching and meal planning led by dietitians, activity and sleep monitoring, and medication tracking and reminders. You can text Brook experts 7 days a week and get immediate support right at your home, without the need to make an appointment.”

The Brook app, which is HIPAA compliant, has been available and supporting Independent Health members at no charge for several years. It was previously available to non-Independent Health members for a monthly fee of $24.99.

Individuals can download the Brook Health Companion app from the App Store or Google Play, or visit our Brook page.