Iowa State University's Health Services Leap Forward: A Healthfully Success Story

Iowa State University is committed to providing top-quality health services to its student population. The University’s student population has over 25,000 patients with annual enrollment of 3,781 former/current students, including foreign students.

As part of its ongoing development, the university sought to improve its patient engagement and registration capabilities to ensure that students were able to submit required medical forms, schedule appointments, receive reminder notifications, and engage with the University’s Student Health and Wellness Clinics online. Streamlining its health service operations was also important for the internal team.

The Challenge

Iowa State University needed a comprehensive patient engagement platform that could replace their existing, underperforming patient portal. Moreover, the solution would need to integrate seamlessly with their existing NextGen Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system.

The ideal solution had to be cost-effective, feature-rich, customizable, and easy to administer. Additionally, the product needed to be a white-labled solution that could easily project the University's brand.

Finding a product that could meet the challenge became a priority. Healthfully’s suite of white-label patient engagement products seemed like a natural fit. Sara Parris, Associate Director of Administrative Services at Iowa State University and her team, analyzed many products. After a formal competitive process, Healthfully was chosen to move forward with an effective plan.

The Solution

Healthfully's patient engagement platform was implemented to replace the existing NextGen patient portal. The new platform integrated easily with Iowa State's NextGen EMR system, ensuring continuity of care and data management.

On the administrative side of things, Healthfully was able to work within the university’s constrained timeline, and Parris felt the cost of the product aligned with their operating budget.

Today, the Healthfully patient portal solution for Iowa includes:

  • A fully branded solution included web and native apps
  • Customized registration process
  • Customized smart forms and automated health assessments
  • Automated vaccination submission and acceptance process
  • Scheduling and appointments
  • Secure messaging and virtual visits
  • Patient health record
  • Controls for student proxies and family circle-of-care with separate privacy and security access

The Results & Impact

Iowa State University sees potential in expanding their use of Healthfully's platform, including the addition of more users and modules as they introduce new services.



The success of this implementation demonstrates Healthfully's ability to provide tailored solutions for diverse healthcare environments, from large health systems to university health services. Their flexible approach to integration and commitment to customer satisfaction positions them as a valuable partner in the evolving landscape of digital health solutions.

From The Customer

"The Healthfully team has been great to work with. We really value our contact; he understands our needs. This process has gone better than any other implementation of other products deployed at Iowa State in the last 8 years that I've been here."”
- Sara Parris, Associate Director of Administrative Services, Iowa State University

Enhanced Patient Retention

By improving patient satisfaction through personalized service, BayCare can increase patient loyalty. Satisfied patients are more likely to return for future care, leading to higher lifetime patient value.

Attracting New Patients

A high-quality concierge service serves as a differentiator in a competitive healthcare market, attracting new patients looking for a seamless, stress-free experience. This can result in increased volume for elective procedures, outpatient services, and primary care visits.

Upselling Premium Services

Concierge services can be tied to premium care options, such as VIP treatment plans, priority scheduling, or enhanced care coordination, which can be offered for an additional fee.

Improved Operational Efficiency

By guiding patients through the system more effectively, the concierge service can reduce missed appointments and cancellations, ensuring that the hospital or clinic maximizes resource utilization, thereby improving revenue streams.

Higher Reimbursement Rates

Patients who experience better service may have improved health outcomes, leading to fewer complications or readmissions. This can positively affect value-based care metrics, which may result in higher reimbursements from insurers and Medicare/Medicaid.

Increased Ancillary Service Utilization

When patients receive personalized guidance, they are more likely to be referred to in-network services like diagnostics, lab work, imaging, or rehabilitation services, boosting internal referrals and revenue from ancillary services.

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