Health eVillages' Lifesaving Mobile Apps Now Active in 6 Countries

READING, Mass., Jan. 15, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Health eVillages, a program of the not-for-profit Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization and Physicians Interactive, was founded by Donato Tramuto on the belief that no one should be denied the basic right to healthcare because they were born poor or live in a community without access to care.

Health eVillages today released an annual booklet about its efforts to bring high-quality care to underserved populations in 2014. The full report, with more information about Health eVillages' mission, contributions to global health, and accomplishments, can be downloaded at:

www.healthevillages.org/wp-content/themes/foundation/images/HeV_Brochure.pdf

Tramuto reported that, with the help of its dedicated partners and healthcare workers around the world, Health eVillages was successful in "moving the needle" to help people in underserved areas lead healthier lives – making the difference between life and death for many.

Health eVillages is currently active in six countries throughout the world. Clinicians use its mobile devices and content to access decision support information for infant and maternal health, internal medicine, tropical medicine, HIV/AIDS, pediatrics, dermatology, drug dosage and interactions, and anesthesiology. Content is often customized by topic, user, and location.

Clinicians using Health eVillages devices serve scores of people around the world, Tramuto reported in his annual update, with more than 53 percent of clinicians saying they are using the devices several times each day. The most common uses are "research of treatment methods" (69 percent) and "patient education" (56 percent). Half of all users say they also use it when diagnosing a medical condition, while 38 percent of users rely on it for information on prescribing medications and determining dosages.

"We are very proud of what we accomplished in 2014 and the growing impact Health eVillages is having around the world on so many lives," said Tramuto, Chairman and CEO of Physicians Interactive as well as Founder and President of Health eVillages. "But, there is still much work to be done. No matter who you are or where you live, everyone deserves the same chance at a healthy life. We are thankful for the support of our benefactors and partners, and look forward to continuing our mission to improve healthcare in some of the most challenging environments on Earth."

Among the highlights and accomplishments in 2014 were:

• On the heels of the Ebola outbreak, the Health eVillages Collaborative Coalition was established in October to give healthcare professionals around the world access to information, training, and timely updates on the disease through Web and mobile applications. Among the goals of the Collaborative Coalition is helping clinicians reassure patients and reduce unwarranted panic about Ebola.
• The launch of a new program with the Real Medicine Foundation in South Sudan, the newest country in the world, to help combat its tragic mortality rate. Health eVillages will provide funding for a full-time physician and will train other clinicians using mobile health devices and applications.
• Community health workers in Lwala, Kenya continued their use of Health eVillages content on mobile devices to educate mothers about prenatal care and the importance of giving birth in a hospital. In 2014, 96 percent of babies were delivered in a hospital, up from just 47 percent in 2012. Furthermore, part of this success was driven by construction of a new maternity care clinic for the Lwala Community Alliance (LCA). Funding was provided by Physicians Interactive and 35 other private donors.
• Anesthesiology students throughout East Africa trained with Health eVillages content and devices at the AIC Kijabe Hospital in Kenya. In addition, Health eVillages provided 14 graduating students from the hospital with their own fully loaded devices so that they may continue their training and use them at the point-of-care with patients, post-graduation.
• A Health eVillages-sponsored nurse educator at Ste. Therese Hospital in Hinche, Haiti provided education and training for 70 nurses within the hospital. Mobile medical content was provided on the devices in English, French, and Creole to better serve not only the nurses, but also the local population and caregivers. Additionally, Health eVillages continued to work with Regis College to provide tools and training on mobile medical devices at Haiti's five national nursing schools to help train the next generation of Haitian nurses.
• Eleven healthcare providers received training at the Teche Action Clinic in Franklin, Louisiana. Physicians, nurse practitioners, and nurses rely on Health eVillages' up-to-date content for the practice of Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Pediatrics as well as drug dosing and interactions information.
• Health eVillages announced plans to launch a new program in India in 2015, where 115 employees of its corporate sponsor, Physicians Interactive, work and live.
• Tramuto was recognized by the RFK Human Rights organization with its 2014 Ripple of Hope Award in December for his work with Health eVillages and the Tramuto Foundation.
• Health eVillages added five renowned executives to its Advisory Board in 2014, including Brad Fluegel, Spencer Warden, Mike Hamilton, Lorri L. Jean, and Ulya Khan.

About Health eVillages

Health eVillages, a program of the not-for-profit Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization and Physicians Interactive, provides state-of-the-art mobile health technology, including medical reference and clinical decision support resources to medical professionals in the most challenging clinical environments around the world. For more information about Health eVillages, please visit http://www.healthevillages.org/.

About Physicians Interactive

Headquartered in Reading, MA, PI aspires to use the power of worldwide networks of healthcare professionals and life sciences companies together in ways that will change the practice and business of medicine for the better. PI's value proposition is to offer the life science industry a low-cost, virtual, multichannel marketing approach that can be used to supplement currently promoted products, as well as non-promoted and orphaned products, that deliver benefits to physicians and patients. A key focus is providing services that fit into physicians' and healthcare professionals' daily workflow at the point-of-care when they make diagnosis, treatment, and prescribing decisions. More information can be found at www.PhysiciansInteractive.com.

Media Contact:
Amendola Communications for Physicians Interactive
Tim Boivin, 224.209.6495
[email protected]

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140220/MM69228LOGO

SOURCE Physicians Interactive

Related Links

http://www.PhysiciansInteractive.com