MĪNA® began as an idea from two physicians as a solution to improve the current inefficiencies of obtaining patients’ health histories but has grown to be much more than that. With input from physicians and patients alike, the app and reader software has been optimized to provide a user friendly, secure, and efficient process of communication between patients and their health care providers.

MĪNA® is quite simple. Patients input their health history information into a smartphone app any time prior to their appointment or in the waiting room (for those without a smartphone, please see FAQ re: patients without a smartphone). At the visit, providers simply scan their patient’s Health Blueprint (QR Code) and integrate the condensed information into their usual workflow

All health care providers, including physicians, dentists, pharmacies, chiropractors, etc. can benefit from MĪNA® since this information is the basic information required for all healthcare encounters.

All patients can use this application, including children. It utilizes age and gender specific data fields to meet patient needs. In addition, foreign language translation and integration is included in this service. So… everyone.

Installation of the patented and proprietary reader software requires an appropriately processed license agreement followed by MĪNA reader software installation via a secure and protected link. During this process, participating sites will also receive a unique license key required for full usage of the reader software.

Independent installation can typically be completed in under 10 minutes. If necessary, an optional virtual session with an onboarding specialist can be obtained. For an additional fee, the installation process can be supplemented with a site visit from a knowledgeable and trained MĪNA professional as an adjunct to the installation process. This provides approximately 3 hours of in-person instruction and demonstration. During this time, services will include face-to-face training, review,
installation, and troubleshooting.

The information within the MĪNA® app is the same information that is included in a traditional health history form. Providers are required to treat the information as protected patient information as traditionally would be done and required by law.

1. If there is any trouble while using the smartphone application, it is recommended to exit the app and fully close the app before re-entry. If this does not fix the problem, please restart the smartphone. For continued issues, uninstall the app and re-install the free app with the most recent version. However, please note this last process will require that all the enclosed data is re-entered. If there are continued issues after this process, customer service is available at customerservice@MINAapp.com or 1-800-895-MINA(6462).
2. If there is any trouble with the MINA Reader Software, it is recommended to exit the software application fully and re-launch the desktop application. For continued issues, it is recommended to restart the computer. If this does not fix the issue or the problem recurs, please call 1-800-895 MINA(6462) or email our customer service department at customerservice@MINAapp.com.

There are various untethered personal health record (PHR) platforms, but none uniquely developed or positioned as MĪNA®. There are several features that set MĪNA® apart from competitors which is why it has been awarded multiple national and international patents.

Since MĪNA utilizes an untethered platform, it can be universally used. The ability to translate the entirety of the medical library in a bi-directional manner is unique. The use of a scanned Health Blueprint (QR Code) to acquire the condensed secure information is also unique and patented both nationally and internationally. Additionally, the QR Code is, in fact, fluid, meaning that when the information within the smartphone app changes, so does the QR Code. Please understand that there are additional unique features, all of which cannot be expressed here.

The smartphone application is free for patients!

MĪNA® is very cost-friendly and positioned to increase revenue and savings to practices that is greater than the cost of the reader software license and terms of agreement. A cost savings analysis has been conducted and can be discussed with providers regarding how MĪNA can both save money and increase profits.

Tech support can be contacted by email (customerservice@MINAapp.com), fax (1-844-234-9139) or by phone (1-800-895-MINA).

After completion of licensing, MINA will provide each location with a URL/link to the Provider Portal. This folder will include starter pack materials. The starter pack materials include electronic versions of office displays, consumer flyers, provider flyers, provider booklets, connect with us cards, provider mailers/postcards, and window decals. In addition, this folder will include suggested education materials for front office staff, call centers and consumers; email communications for onboarding; and other useful materials. Hard copies of white label materials in the starter pack can be provided at the time of face-to-face installation, if this service is requested, or may be printed at the site’s expense. Suggested printing formats will be provided. Additional materials may also be made available through MĪNA Health at the site’s request.

A site-specific provider materials order request form can be provided upon request.

Several advantages include efficient transfer of a pertinent and condensed health history, translation of medical dictionary, universal nature, price savings for the office, improved office P&L, improved clarity of terms, correct spelling, reduction in unnecessarily repeated tests, added language translation over time and others just to name a few.

No longer having to wait for patients to complete health history forms prior to being seen. No longer needing to guess what term was attempted on an incomplete or illegible form.

This is currently being researched.

Currently it is a manual transfer. MĪNA® is working on a secure and efficient way to transfer this information in the near future. Please anticipate this feature in a future version.

MĪNA® can integrate with all EMRs as an outside record. A full integration with the open source EMR, OpenEMR has been completed and work is currently underway for additional EMR data population with an API integration. Many additional EMRs are anticipated soon

MĪNA® currently integrates and auto-populates into the appropriate specified data
fields in the open source EMR, OpenEMR. Additional EMR specific data field population are being discussed with additional EMR systems. The ability to work with any and all EMR systems relies on collaboration with the individual EMR systems but can be done.

The MĪNA® smartphone application and MĪNA® Temp updates will be processed through their respective app stores in a routine fashion. Members of the MĪNA team will inform reader software subscribers of any new updates necessary. The process of installing the new update can be done independently or virtually with the assistance of an expert MĪNA team member, by request. We plan for these updates to happen infrequently.

Based on correlated data from solicited questionnaires and from a panel of healthcare executives and providers, potential improvements in the P&L bottom line reach over $138k/year in perpetuity

Not currently.

This would only become an issue once. In this situation, it is recommended that each individual complete their MĪNA® profile on their smartphone at the time of presentation, then it can be used at the current encounter and each and every subsequent encounter.

Within the MĪNA® Reader software there is an option to deselect areas of the health history that are not needed for that visit (i.e. Immunizations, pharmacy Information, etc.)

A variety of communication methods to reach patients prior to their visit will be provided. An electronic version of this potential communication will be located in the physician portal folder and the link will be provided. Expect to see templates for standard emails, mailers, text messages and a telephone script for call centers inside the physician portal folder

Plans are underway for discussing future generations of MĪNA® that communication between the provider and the patient in a bidirectional manner. Once this is complete, providers will be able to update a patient’s information/profile at the completion of the office visit.

Specialty and healthcare specific MĪNA® Reader software is on the horizon

As additional sites are added, an interactive component to our website will be created that allows for promotion of subscribing practices.

The short answer is no. Due to the patented encryption technology, any generically generated QR code will not scan with the reader software. MĪNA software will not read or recognize any QR code that is not specifically MĪNA® formatted. Since the reader program cannot read non- MĪNA® QR codes, malicious information cannot be read, and thus cannot enter the system on which the reader software is installed. Additionally, the risk to malware is generated from the possibility of a scanned QR code directing to the internet where bad things can happen. The MĪNA® reader software does not use and cannot access the internet (that is a huge part of the benefit of MĪNA®) and thus re-direct type attacks are not possible. The last concern that has been conceived would be that decryption of a “bad” QR code would potentially perform a buffer overflow or similar process. For this to occur, the bad code would need to somehow override the standard industry encryption AND the MĪNA® patented encryption. Following this, there needs to be exceeding amounts of data that would overrun the buffer that would only then lead to overwrites of adjacent memory locations. Many systems currently have set measures to also address this concern because of previous issues. Without the ability to say that the possibility of a buffer overflow situation happening is zero, it would be extremely, extremely, extremely difficult

At present, the smartphone application is free for all users. In the future, if a fee is added, it will remain affordable and will hopefully be subsidized by a number of outside sources.

There is a temporary forgiveness/discount program for early adopters of MĪNA® Please ask for details.

Currently no EMR integrates with MINA however MĪNA® can integrate with all EMRs as an outside record. Full integration with the open source EMR, OpenEMR, has been completed. Work is currently underway for additional EMR data specific auto-population. Please inquire about additional EMRs. MĪNA® is an add-on possibility for all EMR systems.

MĪNA is looking for practices to help champion MINA and encourage EMR systems to collaborate. If a site agrees, the desired EMR system can be approached for a request on the site’s behalf for further development.

Yes. This can either be done by direct electronic PDF integration, print and scan, medical transcription or through dictation.

Absolutely! Conservative estimates based on a primary care model show MĪNA® has the potential to improve the P&L’s (profit and loss) of a site by $140k every year in perpetuity. In addition, it: 1) is fomite-free, 2) decreases wait times and allows visits to start on time, 3) improves spelling and decreases spelling errors, 4) is more complete, 5) empowers patients to take the time to complete their information correctly and completely if only to be done on occasion, 6) condenses information for the practitioner, 7) uses less or no paper, 8) requires no need for staff to prepare forms, 9) decreases need for repeat tests due to uncertainty of previous tests, 10) provides cost savings in staff, paper and disposal costs, 11) saves time for people that have to interpret information or repeatedly ask these questions.

There is a process for integration and auto-population for specific EMRs, with plans for additional EMR auto-population in the future. The goal is to create an API with EMR for auto-population. At that point only reconciliation would be required.

It depends on the means of integration into the specific site’s EMR and workflow. MĪNA staff would love to help you with this process.

MĪNA® started when a group of individuals agreed that there needed to be a change in the way patients communicated with their healthcare providers. Those individuals are the original investors and are teachers, police officers, physicians, nurses, scientists, pharmacists, sales representatives and more

MĪNA® requires that patients or their caregiver adds the patient’s full health history in the free smartphone app. This can either be done in a single sitting or several, at their convenience. Then when the patient presents to a healthcare provider, the personal Health Blueprint (QR Code) from the app is all that is required to scan. No more filling out paper forms. Any updates required, which will most
often be minor, can be edited at any time.

MĪNA® can be used by ALL healthcare providers because they all need this basic set of information to provide patients with the best possible care.

If a patient has trouble while in the app, it is recommended to exit the app and fully close the app before re-entry. If this does not fix the problem, restart the smartphone. For continued issues, uninstall the app and re-install the free app with the most recent version. However currently, please note this last process will require that all the previously entered data must be re-entered again. After this process, if there are continued concerns, customer service is available at customerservice@MINAapp.com.

MĪNA® truly has no competitors in the field of untethered personal health records (PHRs) that use QR codes for transmitting information. That’s why there has been multiple national and international patents allowed. So, join the MĪNA® Movement!

There are many features that separate MĪNA from competitors: 1) free, 2) untethered, 3) QR encryption, 4) local storage of information, 5) language translation, 6) multiple profiles, 7) basic nature of the information and the user-friendly workflow, 8) pet profile, 9) national use, 10) international Use, 11) other unique features.

It’s FREE!

MĪNA® allows patients to be active in the accurate and complete communication of their health history since all health care is based, at least in part, by the health history. In addition, there are several unique features to MĪNA® that make it a necessity for everyone that breathes air.

Patients no longer must remember their entire health history. Individuals are now able to easily help in the care of dependents or aging parents. No one will be able to see a patient’s beautiful handwriting again on health history forms. It is only available for smartphones currently. A tablet version has been created for individuals that do not have a smartphone.

Currently it is a manual transfer. MĪNA® is working on a secure and efficient way to transfer this information in the future. Please anticipate this feature in a future version.

MĪNA® does work with all EMR systems. MĪNA® is currently in negotiations with
EMR systems for auto-population of the health history information. It has completed full integration with the open source EMR, OpenEMR. Many additional EMRs are anticipated soon.

Updated versions of the smartphone application will be uploaded to the appropriate app store. Users will be notified of any updates in the usual manner that notifications of app updates are received.

MĪNA® will serve as a reference while completing a provider’s health history forms. No need to stress out about not remembering information.

As MĪNA gains traction, the website will be updated with current active sites.

The security of the thumbprint and facial recognition service is less secure than the current two-factor authentication. It will be considered again in the future but for now, no.