Abovehealth Announces Strategic Alliance with WorldDoc; WorldDoc System to Offer Abovehealth Clients Web-Based Self-Evaluation Toolset.

SAN DIEGO -- Abovehealth, a leading provider of web-portal and electronic business transaction products and services, and WorldDoc, Inc., a leader in interactive health management, have formed a strategic alliance to offer Abovehealth clients the opportunity to supply their members with the WorldDoc Personal Evaluation System (PES) via the Member portal. This innovative online toolset will allow members to make informed decisions about their health regimen, which is expected to lead to healthcare cost savings.

"Self-evaluation tools can have a significant impact on an individual's lifestyle as well as utilization of healthcare resources," said Jack Johnson, Abovehealth CEO. "They give individuals the resources to make better decisions about their healthcare, and we anticipate that will result in healthier living for members and an overall reduction of healthcare costs for plans, providers, and consumers." With the growing enthusiasm about consumer-driven health plans and patient education, Abovehealth selected the WorldDoc toolset to help fulfill that function. Created by a team of board-certified doctors in 20 specialties, WorldDoc offers a comprehensive health decision support system.

Accessed from the Abovehealth Member portal, the system steps a member through a series of questions that begins with an innovative graphic interface representing the various zones of the human body. The member clicks on the area of the body where the symptom arises, then answers a few questions that the system uses to guide the member to a likely health condition causing the symptom. After the member has identified a possible diagnosis or condition, the system provides links to other areas from which he/she may obtain additional information or suggestions, even chat online with a nurse.

Rahul Singal, MD, President and CEO of WorldDoc, is enthusiastic about the agreement with Abovehealth, stating, "WorldDoc offers Abovehealth clients a hands-on resource their members can use to cut down on unnecessary doctor visits and reduce healthcare costs." He adds that according to a recent survey of more than 450 WorldDoc users, 53.7% of respondents indicated they visit the site "to decide if they need to visit a doctor." Another 54.4% indicated they use the site to better understand treatment options. Almost 30% reported they were able to avoid at least one unnecessary doctor visit by utilizing the WorldDoc site. "Wellness and prevention are the keys to a healthy life," Singal said. "While we do offer the service of reviewing symptoms and providing an initial diagnosis, the key to WorldDoc is providing people with the knowledge to monitor their health and improve their well-being."

About Abovehealth

Founded in 2001, Abovehealth is a leading eHealth solution provider based in San Diego. By strengthening relationships and simplifying support, Abovehealth maximizes the value of a health plan's community of members, providers, employers and brokers. Integrating seamlessly with existing claims and administrative systems, Abovehealth replaces costly manual and paper-driven transactions with automated workflow processes, real-time transactions, interactive communications and personalized content. The company has successfully implemented its eHealth platform in 28 health plans nationwide, representing over 4.4 million member lives. For more information, call 866-837-4538 or visit www.abovehealth.com.

About WorldDoc

WorldDoc, Inc. provides advanced, interactive health management systems for payers, their beneficiaries and providers to improve population health while decreasing healthcare costs. WorldDoc integrated systems and proprietary tools empower individuals to better manage their health by facilitating early diagnosis, encouraging self-treatment and providing education about the value of treatment choices. As individuals assume more responsibility for their healthcare costs, WorldDoc helps them to become better healthcare consumers. WorldDoc's unique multi-channel approach provides an integrated process to arm the individual with the tools they need to take control of their own health.