CHICAGO, September 10, 2024 – Cylinder, the employee benefit provider for gastrointestinal (GI) care, today announced that a clinical study found its app-based GI health platform to have a significant positive health and wellbeing impact on users.
The clinical study’s peer-reviewed findings were published this month in Cureus in a study titled “Improvements in Digestive Symptoms After Participation in an App-Based Chronic Digestive Disease Management Program: A Prospective Cohort Evaluation.”
The study found that 85% of the nearly 2,000 study participants of the Cylinder digestive health platform reported an improvement in their digestive symptoms. Other findings of the study included:
- 83% of users reported an increased sense of control of their health
- 83% of users felt better able to manage their symptoms
- 76% of users reported an increase in happiness
- 54% of users reported an increase in productivity
“As employers look to improve employee health and wellness by partnering with innovative benefits providers – like Cylinder – it is critical that they see efficacy data derived through evidence-based clinical research,” said Bill Snyder, Founder and CEO of Cylinder. “Only by building trust through objective statistical analysis can next-generation health solution providers like Cylinder emerge as lasting companies.”
The need for better GI care is clear. According to the Cylinder 2024 State of Gut Health in the Workplace survey, released in July 2024, nearly 71% of Americans experience GI symptoms such as gas, bloating, constipation, heartburn, and more, with one-third of Americans having been medically diagnosed with a GI condition. Chronic GI symptoms are particularly important among socially vulnerable populations, which have higher rates of digestive health issues with significantly lower rates of screening and poorer outcomes for GI issues such as colorectal cancer and GERD.
“Millions of Americans suffering with chronic digestive issues do not receive the care they need,” said Dr. Dena M. Bravata, co-author of the study and a clinical advisory board member for Cylinder. “This study underscores the potential benefits of digital tools for condition management – especially historically marginalized populations – who can use them to access high-quality, evidence-based speciality care.”
“Historically, less than 20% of adults with chronic digestive symptoms have sought care to help understand and manage their symptoms,” said Dr. Hau Liu, Chief Medical Officer for Cylinder. “This rigorous study shows that digital digestive health interventions, such as Cylinder’s app-based GI care platform, have the ability to help enable Americans to take control of their health and improve their quality of life.”
About Cylinder
Cylinder is the leading virtual digestive health provider, delivering personalized, clinician-backed care for the full spectrum of gastrointestinal (GI) conditions and symptoms including GERD, Ulcerative Colitis, celiac disease, bloating, gas and more. With a dedicated care team that includes GI doctors, registered dietitians, and health coaches, Cylinder has helped over 100,000 people across all 50 states to date. Its platform combines digital access with evidence-based interventions to improve outcomes, reduce costs, and enhance quality of life. Backed by published, peer-reviewed clinical results, Cylinder delivers up to 5:1 ROI and industry-leading 13% employee engagement. Trusted by employers and health plans including Texas A&M University and US Foods, Cylinder is helping make GI care more accessible.
