San Francisco, CA (Vocus) October 10, 2007 -- A dynamic new online health service was announced today that allows physicians to embed YouTube-hosted video into their iHealth practice Web sites. Videos are being used by physicians to educate patients, explain treatment plans or procedures and introduce their practices to new patients. The powerful new integrated service connects consumers to their doctors in new and more interactive ways. Over 70,000 U.S. physicians have iHealth practice Web sites.

J. Allen Meadows, MD, an Allergist in Montgomery, Alabama, provides the iHealth Video service to his patients through his iHealth web site, http://www.eallergy.yourmd.com ?While treatments, procedures and medications grow more complex every year, my iHealth Video allows me to provide my patients with explanations in my own words and in my own voice that they can review and replay, and share with other family members or care providers."

Katherine Gregory, MD, a San Francisco physician, now delivers an introduction to her Gynecology practice through her iHealth web site, http://www.sfgyn.medem.com, and plans to add more patient education videos soon. "As a contemporary practice, it is important to meet my patients where they are, and the vast majority of them are online," said Dr. Gregory. "iHealth Video allows me to directly communicate with current and prospective patients, and it gives them a chance to learn about me and what is special about my practice. It?s one more way to have an online presence and is a great complement to our iHealth secure messaging and personal health record service.?

For nearly a decade, national and state medical societies, many of which are founders or partners of the Medem network that hosts the iHealth services, have been supportive of online physician-patient communication services to improve healthcare.

"The importance of supporting patient-physician communication cannot be overstated," said Ron Davis, MD, President of the American Medical Association. "Providing doctors with technology like the video-enabled iHealth Web services can help improve patient care and encourage patients to take a more active role in their health care."

Offering strong support for a video-enabled physician Web sites, a recent Harris Interactive poll found that 80 percent of US adults are now online and nearly three-quarters (71 percent) of adults have used the Internet to research health information, while another Harris poll found that YouTube videos are utilized by 42 percent of Americans.

"By incorporating video into practice Web sites, we have created a dynamic new way for physicians to connect with their patients, strengthen the physician-patient relationship and grow their practices," said Edward Fotsch, M.D., CEO of Medem Inc., which provides the iHealth service. ?Given the power of this technology to engage consumers we anticipate seeing video used for a wide range of patient education, disease management and wellness programs delivered to patients by physicians, health plans and other organizations to better connect with patients."

Online video capability is the newest service from iHealth, a suite of integrated, online patient connectivity and PHR services for medical practices, hospitals, employers and health plans. The iHealth Web site services are provided by Medem, the leading online patient-physician secure communication network founded by the AMA and other leading medical societies. The new iHealth Video service is being delivered to participating physician practices at no increase to the current cost of roughly a dollar per day for each doctor.

Additional physician video examples include:

Dr. Lynne Carr Columbus (http://www.gulfcoastpain.yourmd.com/), Florida

Dr. Randy Fink (http://www.drrandyfink.yourmd.com/), Florida

Dr. Grace Keenan (http://www.gracekeenan.yourmd.com/), Virginia

Dr. William Rogers (http://www.wrogersmd.yourmd.com/), Texas

For more information, including additional examples of physician site video integrations, visit http://www.medem.com/

About iHealth and Medem, Inc.

Medem's iHealth service offers physicians and the healthcare industry a suite of integrated Web-based services that are proven to effectively engage patients in better managing their health. iHealth includes the leading online standards-based, secure Personal Health Record (PHR) that is owned and controlled by the patient, can share data with EHR, health plan and other systems and is a secure vehicle for communicating online with healthcare providers. Additional services include the ability to deliver patient-specific education and care management programs, an integrated Health Risk Assessment, and automated FDA warnings specific to the patient's medications. Founded by the American Medical Association and several national medical specialty societies, Medem is supported by a broad constituent of industry partners, 45 leading medical societies, patient advocacy groups and government agencies. To learn more about Medem, visit www.medem.com.

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