CareMessage's Latest Impact on Health Equity
Learn about our approach and latest findings on health equity.
OVERVIEW
Our Impact in 2025
In 2025, like many organizations committed to health equity, CareMessage was required to learn in public. The changes around us required our organization to evolve from being a technology non-profit building a patient engagement platform into a social impact organization building the conditions for people to feel seen, supported, and able to follow through on care.
This year, in conversations from the World Economic Forum in Davos to community health centers in the Rio Grande Valley, we kept returning to a core insight: belonging is not a “nice to have” in healthcare. When people feel disconnected, it affects whether they trust a clinic, whether they ask questions, whether they manage a condition, and whether they keep their coverage. Our partners see this every day in the replies patients send back. These messages are not just about logistics, but about fear, hope, and resilience.
We enter 2026 with a renewed sense of purpose, confident that CareMessage is in a unique position to shift how our world solves for health inequities. In the United States, a large portion of the 10–15 year life expectancy gap for low-income populations is driven by preventable and avoidable deaths.
As you read this 2025 Impact Report, we hope you will see not only our shared success but also the vast possibilities ahead. We thank you for being on this journey with us, and we welcome the opportunity to continue creating meaningful change for millions of people nationwide.
Download the Report
OUR WHY
Improving the Health of Low-Income Populations
With support from the CTIA Wireless Foundation we had an opportunity to capture the story of Michael, a truck driver who faced challenges accessing healthcare due to a lack of health insurance. Michael receives care at one of CareMessage's earliest customers, the Community Care Clinic of Rowan County in North Carolina. With CareMessage, the clinic is able to stay in touch with Michael, anywhere his work takes him.
Michael's story represents the story of countless people who receive care at free clinics and other healthcare safety-net providers nationwide. These are our neighbors who work two or three jobs and cannot afford healthcare, or who drive at night to make rent this month. The weight of managing daily tasks makes it almost impossible to prioritize their health.
In 2025, we engaged with over 6 million patients, exchanging over 90 million messages in the process. Behind those numbers are real people, like Michael, and we feel the weight of that responsibility in everything we do. Our work continues to center the urgent need of comprehensive solutions that can improve the health of low-income communities nationwide.
OUR IMPACT
2025 Annual Data Summary
6 Million
People Messaged in 2025
90 Million
Messages Exchanged in 2025
439
Organizations Active in 2025
WHAT'S NEXT
Messaging about health equity is not enough.
In the next year, we will continue to expand our data intelligence layer and outcomes measurement to move people from being messaged about Health Equity, to measurable outcome improvements. From using Generative AI to understand messaging categories and intent, to expanded clinical data integrations that connect messaging to outcomes, CareMessage is leading the way to set a new standard for how digital health, and in particular patient engagement, should be measured on outcomes improvements.
There’s complexity in measuring outcomes for the 100+ use cases powered by CareMessage. However, by segmenting utilization into our priority pillars and defining clinical and operational goals, we are getting closer to developing a structure to understand the interventions that drive success. Below you will find the top 10 use cases by health equity pillar based on messaging volume. This utilization data helps our team prioritize the opportunities to verify impact measurement.
1. Appointment Lifecycle: Availability, Reminders, No-Show and Rescheduling: 27.7M
2. Clinic Classes & Events: 6M
3. Patient Surveys: 2.4M
4. Attributed Patients, Medicaid, & Health Insurance Support: 1.7M
5. Annual Wellness & Well Child Visits: 1.6M
6. Behavioral Health: 1.6M
7. Referrals: 1.2M
8. Pharmacy Enrollment: 440k
9. Dental Care & Visits: 330k
10. Hospital/Post-ER Follow-Up: 280k
1. Nutrition: 4.2M
2. Exercise: 3.8M
3. Breast, Cervical, and Colorectal Cancer: 2.6M
4. Flu Shots: 1.7M
5. Diabetes: 1.4M
6. High Blood Pressure & High Cholesterol: 1.2M
7. Smoking Cessation: 830k
8. Prenatal & Postpartum Support for Parents: 520k
9. Immunizations: 390k
10. Other Men’s & Women’s Wellness: 390k
1. Financial Assistance: 2.1M
2. Food Access: 1.5M
3. Job Placement: 450k
4. Patient Resources: 380k
5. Educational Assistance: 300k
6. Benefit Applications: 180k
7. Needs Assessments: 130k
8. Legal Services: 130k
9. Housing Support: 70k
10. Digital Access: 48k
OUR IMPACT
2025 Annual Data Summary
6 Million
People Messaged in 2025
90 Million
Messages Exchanged in 2025
439
Organizations Active in 2025
5 Million
People Messaged about Health Equity in 2025
WHAT'S NEXT
Messaging about health equity is not enough.
In the next year, we will continue to expand our data intelligence layer and outcomes measurement to move people from being messaged about Health Equity, to measurable outcome improvements. From using Generative AI to understand messaging categories and intent, to expanded clinical data integrations that connect messaging to outcomes, CareMessage is leading the way to set a new standard for how digital health, and in particular patient engagement, should be measured on outcomes improvements.
There’s complexity in measuring outcomes for the 100+ use cases powered by CareMessage. However, by segmenting utilization into our priority pillars and defining clinical and operational goals, we are getting closer to developing a structure to understand the interventions that drive success. Below you will find the top 10 use cases by health equity pillar based on messaging volume. This utilization data helps our team prioritize the opportunities to verify impact measurement.
- Appointment Lifecycle: Availability, Reminders, No-Show and Rescheduling: 27.7M
- Clinic Classes & Events: 6M
- Patient Surveys: 2.4M
- Attributed Patients, Medicaid, & Health Insurance Support: 1.7M
- Annual Wellness & Well Child Visits: 1.6M
- Behavioral Health: 1.6M
- Referrals: 1.2M
- Pharmacy Enrollment: 440k
- Dental Care & Visits: 330k
- Hospital/Post-ER Follow-Up: 280k
- Nutrition: 4.2M
- Exercise: 3.8M
- Breast, Cervical, and Colorectal Cancer: 2.6M
- Flu Shots: 1.7M
- Diabetes: 1.4M
- High Blood Pressure & High Cholesterol: 1.2M
- Smoking Cessation: 830k
- Prenatal & Postpartum Support for Parents: 520k
- Immunizations: 390k
- Other Men’s & Women’s Wellness: 390k
- Financial Assistance: 2.1M
- Food Access: 1.5M
- Job Placement: 450k
- Patient Resources: 380k
- Educational Assistance: 300k
- Benefit Applications: 180k
- Needs Assessments: 130k
- Legal Services: 130k
- Housing Support: 70k
- Digital Access: 48k
IMPACT MEASUREMENT
Quality of Evidence Framework
We measure impact on health equity based on the strength of the data available. This allows us to refine the depth of our impact measurement based on our Quality of Evidence Framework:
HEALTH EQUITY IMPACT - VALIDATED
Randomized Clinical Trial to Evaluate Impact on Increasing Physical Activity
Stanford Study Published in JAMA Network Open Shows CareMessage’s Text-Based Health Coaching Matches Human Counselors in Boosting Physical Activity
The results showed equivalence between the two approaches across the 12-month program period. Both programs were based on Stanford’s Active Choices physical activity counseling program. Participants receiving the Short Message Service (SMS)-based coaching through CareMessage increased their weekly walking by an average of 113.6 minutes (nearly 2 hours), while those receiving human telephone counseling increased walking by 116.4 minutes per week – a statistically equivalent difference of just 2.8 minutes.
Both groups achieved statistically significant improvements in physical activity that were sustained over the full 12-month study period. Additional benefits were observed in weight maintenance, reduced sedentary behavior, improved well-being, and increases in other types of physical activity beyond walking.
Visit our Publications page to learn more about this and other studies proving our efficacy.
HEALTH EQUITY IMPACT - VERIFIED
Bay Area Community Health leverages Conversational AI to drive over 55% of previously unengaged patients to request an appointment via Wellness Copilot for Diabetes
Problem
Bay Area Community Health (BACH) had a challenge with disengagement from patients with diabetes. They were using a different vendor to attempt phone calls, but were only achieving a 10.8% conversion rate with their voice messaging approach.
Solution
As an early adopter of CareMessage’s new Wellness Copilot for Diabetes, BACH was able to define priority patient cohorts, automate the patient segmentation leveraging real-time data integrations with OCHIN Epic, and leverage conversational AI to scale engagement to hundreds of patients using text messaging. This solution runs automatically on a monthly basis, providing a copilot for their population health team who manages over seven thousand patients across five health plans each month.
Success
The results came out within a week after going live with the integration. First, there was a clear reduction in staff time, which included the two to three hours spent per week on filtering patient lists. CareMessage’s Conversational AI then handled up to three contact attempts per patient, fielded multiple journeys including patient education prior to booking, and ultimately resulted in 55.19% of patients engaged requesting an appointment. By adopting innovative AI features, BACH is leading the way in showing the power of AI in scaling the reach of population health teams and improving outcomes.
The results came out within a week after going live with the integration. First, there was a clear reduction in staff time, which included the two to three hours spent per week on filtering patient lists. CareMessage’s Conversational AI then handled up to three contact attempts per patient, fielded multiple journeys including patient education prior to booking, and ultimately resulted in 55.19% of patients engaged requesting an appointment. By adopting innovative AI features, BACH is leading the way in showing the power of AI in scaling the reach of population health teams and improving outcomes.
HEALTH EQUITY IMPACT - VERIFIED
Tampa Family Health Centers saves over 5,000 hours of staff time while processing over 25,000 referrals per month with CareMessage
Problem
Tampa Family Health Centers generated an average of 22,000 referrals per month but only reached about 20% of patients for follow up. Manual phone calls required 15 minutes per patient, consuming staff time and leaving many referrals incomplete.
Solution
Using CareMessage’s Referrals feature, Tampa Family Health Centers automated their work. Patients received text messages prompting them to schedule their referral with the necessary information to complete the action. Automated follow-ups then helped confirm when a referral appointment was booked and attended. Staff was able to track progress and outcomes in one place, enhancing their workflows to focus on key priority segments instead of broad manual outreach.
Success
Tampa Family Health Centers quickly scaled to manage 25,000 referrals for 3,600 patients. They began saving 5,500 staff hours per month which enabled 9 FTEs to be reassigned to new teams at the organization. By strategically leveraging technology, the organization has efficiently scaled to support a greater number of patients.
HEALTH EQUITY IMPACT - VERIFIED
PrimeCare Health achieves 78% Cervical Cancer Screening and 51% Colorectal Cancer Screening rates leveraging CareMessage
Problem
PrimeCare Health originally engaged CareMessage as a solution in 2020 to address remote work and virtual patient care. At the time, conducting phone call campaigns was the main strategy to address quality measures. Since then, PrimeCare aims to “beat” themselves on their quality measures each year by continuing to iterate and innovate on the ways they engage patients.
Solution
The organization uses the CareMessage platform directly, with over 50 staff collaborating on patient engagement from Behavioral Health providers, nurses, care coordinators, care managers, case managers, dental assistants, and quality improvement staff. The staff uses text messaging to support patients, from sending a video on how to complete a Cologuard test to texting the address of a specialist that the patient can easily reference when they schedule their transportation. Outreach campaigns have become an integral part of all quality improvement projects. What started as ad hoc campaigns has grown into an annual strategic plan with different campaigns scheduled at all times of the year.
Success
Leveraging CareMessage, their cervical cancer screening rate has improved in the past few years, and is now at 78%. Their Colorectal Cancer Screening rate for the newly eligible population of 45-49 year olds hit 51% in the first 3 years. They are a proud 5-time consecutive HRSA Gold Medal awardee and hold 2 consecutive National Quality Leader awards. Additionally, staff time savings have been immeasurable. They have been able to complete projects that never would have been possible. CareMessage has become the core of their patient experience workflow.
Learn more about PrimeCare's success through their recent panel at our Connected by Care for Colorectal Cancer event.
Leveraging CareMessage, their cervical cancer screening rate has improved in the past few years, and is now at 78%. Their Colorectal Cancer Screening rate for the newly eligible population of 45-49 year olds hit 51% in the first 3 years. They are a proud 5-time consecutive HRSA Gold Medal awardee and hold 2 consecutive National Quality Leader awards. Additionally, staff time savings have been immeasurable. They have been able to complete projects that never would have been possible. CareMessage has become the core of their patient experience workflow.
Learn more about PrimeCare's success through their recent panel at our Connected by Care for Colorectal Cancer event.
OUR EXPANSION
From Patient Engagement to Social Impact Engine
After 12 years, our organization continues to evolve how we achieve our mission. Starting the year receiving the Schwab Foundation Award for Social Entrepreneurship at the World Economic Forum was transformational and pushed our team to reflect on how our founding story can continue to guide where we go next.
We are on a journey to measurably improve health equity for 5 million patients annually by 2028. Of the 6 million patients we engaged with in 2025, 5 million received a message in a topic related to at least one of our three health equity pillars. However, we have never felt more grounded in our belief that it's not enough to equate sending a text message with achieving success. Our next milestone is to ensure those messages result in tangible improvements to people’s lives every year.
Looking ahead, our updated theory of change creates opportunities for our organization to evolve from being a technology non-profit building a patient engagement platform into a broader social impact organization that improves health equity nationally. In a moment when so many systems feel strained, that shift feels less like a strategy and more like a responsibility.