HEALTHvision Announces First U.S. Internet-based Alzheimer's Support Network; Service Launched to Reach Potential Families of Four Million Alzheimer's Patients.Health/Medical Writers NOTE TO MEDIA: Photo is available in a Smart News Release(TM) on Business Wire's Home Page at www.businesswire.com and at www.newstream.com IRVING, Texas--(BW HealthWire)--June 4, 2001 The first nationally accessible Internet-based support network for families coping with Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (ăls`hī'mərz, ôls–), degenerative disease of nerve cells in the cerebral cortex that leads to atrophy of the brain and senile dementia. has completed testing and is ready for a roll-out. Enabled by HEALTHvision, a leading healthcare Internet company, the Alzheimer's Caregivers Internet Support System (ACISS ACISS Advisory Committee on the International Space Station ACISS All Canadian Inspection & Safety Services (Burlington, Ontario, Canada) ACISS Alliance for Competitive International Satellite Services ) is a comprehensive "one-stop shopping" service designed to support the medical, social and psychological needs of family caregivers of the estimated four million people in the U.S. with the disease. The innovative Internet-based application will provide family caregivers with "just in time" information, support and advice. It includes features such as an on-line support group, "telecounseling," a reference library and message center. It also offers behavior management behavior management Psychology Any nonpharmacologic maneuver–eg contingency reinforcement–that is intended to correct behavioral problems in a child with a mental disorder–eg, ADHD. See Attention-deficit-hyperactivity syndrome. tools caregivers can access from the convenience of their home at a time when they need it most. Deploying a range of advanced technologies including video conferencing See videoconferencing. (communications) video conferencing - A discussion between two or more groups of people who are in different places but can see and hear each other using electronic communications. , secure messaging and streaming media See streaming audio, streaming video and digital media hub. , ACISS is the most comprehensive interactive online application currently available for families dealing with Alzheimer's and other progressive, incurable dementias. "ACISS is a milestone in Internet technology to improve Alzheimer care at home. As another valuable source of information and support, this Web-based technology can help people with dementia and their families take control over those aspects of their disease that can be controlled. It has the very real potential to ease the burden of care in what most will agree is a labor of love," said Dr. Paul Raia, Director of Patient Care and Family Support at the Massachusetts Alzheimer's Association The Alzheimer's Association, incorportated on April 10, 1980 as the Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders Association, Inc., is a non-profit American voluntary health organization which focuses on care, support and research for Alzheimer's disease. . Alzheimer's is the nation's third most expensive illness after heart disease and cancer--it is estimated to cost the U.S. close to a trillion dollars, according to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. a 1994 report in the American Journal of Public Health The American Journal of Public Health (AJPH) is a peer reviewed monthly journal of the American Public Health Association (APHA). The Journal also regularly publishes authoritative editorials and commentaries and serves as a forum for the analysis of health policy. . The report put the cost of Alzheimer care at approximately $174,000 per patient lifetime, including expenses from direct medical and social services social services Noun, pl welfare services provided by local authorities or a state agency for people with particular social needs social services npl → servicios mpl sociales , unpaid caregiver costs, nursing home placement, and lost caregiver earnings and productivity. A study released by the Alzheimer's Association in 1998 estimated the specific cost of Alzheimer's disease to U.S. businesses at $33.16 billion per year. "Our primary goal is to develop and evaluate new Internet applications to improve the quality of care. ACISS is the latest example of how this technology can positively impact quality of life for caregiver's. We also expect that ACISS will reduce the overall cost of patient care," said Scott Decker, CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. , HEALTHvision. "By providing a readily accessible 24-hour bank of information, resources and support, ACISS may have the financial benefit of helping maintain the patient in the home as long as possible and thus delaying very costly nursing home placement. These savings, coupled with improved quality of life for both patient and caregiver, can have a dramatic impact." Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer's eventually becomes an around-the-clock job. As a 74-year old male caregiver participating in the ACISS field trials put it, "I'm taking care of my wife 24/7, 365 days a year and that this will make my life easier." ACISS, developed by HEALTHvision in collaboration with the Massachusetts Chapter of the national Alzheimer's Association and The Geriatric Care Center at the Hunt in Danvers, Ma. was funded through a grant from the National Institute on Aging The National Institute on Aging is a division of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, located in Bethesda, Maryland. Formed in 1974, NIA's mission is to improve the health and well-being of older Americans through research. It is the primary U.S. . Field trials began last month with 40 families placed in two groups. Each group was given a different version of ACISS--either Standard or Advanced. The Standard version contains functions currently available on the Internet for caregivers (e.g., text materials, messaging, bulletin boards), while the Advanced version contains a comprehensive, interactive system of education, skills training, behavior management tools, and videoconferencing support links to Alzheimer's Association counselors, other caregivers and case managers. Wellesley College Centers for Women will be conducting a formal evaluation of the potential benefits of the two versions of ACISS. About HEALTHvision Healthvision is a leading healthcare Internet company focused exclusively on providing Web-based solutions that are customized and branded to the local healthcare organization. With its comprehensive e-healthSOURCE(TM) web infrastructure, HEALTHvision leverages the Internet to enable the local healthcare organization to improve relationships with consumers, patients and physicians. A privately held company privately held company A firm whose shares are held within a relatively small circle of owners and are not traded publicly. , based in Irving, Texas, HEALTHvision was formed in July 1999 through the merger of the Internet-based products and resources of Eclipsys Corporation (www.eclipsys.com) and VHA VHA Veterans Health Administration VHA Variable Housing Allowance VHA Villages Homeowners Association VHA Voluntary Hospitals Association VHA Virtual Home Agent VHA Very High Altitude VHA Vapor Hazard Area VHA Vermont Holstein-Friesian Association , Inc., resulting in a potential customer base of more than 2,400 healthcare organizations. HEALTHvision is a member of Health Internet Ethics (Hi-Ethics), a 22-member coalition of top e-healthcare companies committed to developing industry standards related to patient privacy. For more information, visit www.healthvision.com. About the Alzheimer's Association The Alzheimer's Association is the only voluntary national health organization dedicated to providing information and support to people with Alzheimer's disease and their families and to conquering the disease through research. Founded in 1980, the Association works through a network of chapters across the country, with the Massachusetts Chapter one of the largest and busiest in that network. About Wellesley Centers for Women The Wellesley Centers for Women unites the Wellesley College Center for Research on Women and the Stone Center for Developmental Services and Studies in a joint mission to educate, inform, and expand our knowledge of women's lives. It is home to an interdisciplinary community of scholars Noun 1. community of scholars - the body of individuals holding advanced academic degrees profession - the body of people in a learned occupation; "the news spread rapidly through the medical profession"; "they formed a community of scientists" engaged in action, research, publication and training. Note: A Photo is available at URL URL in full Uniform Resource Locator Address of a resource on the Internet. The resource can be any type of file stored on a server, such as a Web page, a text file, a graphics file, or an application program. : http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/photo.cgi?pw.060401/bb9 |
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