Avivia Health and Health Dialog Team Up to Give Power to the Patient

OAKLAND, Calif., May 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Avivia Health From Kaiser Permanente and Health Dialog will present as part of an Employee Benefit News webinar "Power to the Patient" on Wednesday, May 18, 2011 at 2PM Eastern/ 11AM Pacific. The webinar focuses on empowering patients with reliable health information so they can be more active participants in their treatment choices. When patients and doctors engage in Shared Decision Making, patients often choose less invasive procedures that result in lower cost to the system and patients who are more satisfied with the outcomes. Registration can be found on www.aviviahealth.com under the newsroom section.

Avivia Health, a leading provider of wellness and condition management solutions, distributes the Health Dialog program, which includes evidence-based decision aids and health coaching, to employer groups nationwide. Speaking on the webinar are Chris Stenzel, Chief Executive Officer of Avivia Health, and David Wennberg, MD, MPH, Chief Science Officer at Health Dialog.

"When patients are empowered with unbiased medical information and decision making skills, they can engage much more effectively with their doctors to make the best choices among their treatment options," says Stenzel. "This webinar will teach organizations how to incorporate Shared Decision Making into their health care programs, which can save money as individuals tend to choose less complex and costly procedures when they are fully informed."

In fact, according to a recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine lead authored by Dr. Wennberg, a health management program that included Shared Decision Making led to a 9.8 percent annual reduction in inpatient and outpatient surgeries and an 11.5 percent annual reduction in hospitalizations for patients facing significant medical decisions.

About Avivia Health From Kaiser Permanente

Powered by the knowledge gained from 65 years of population care management expertise, Avivia Health is committed to a whole-person philosophy and deploys evidence-based practices that help control health care costs and give employees the resources they need to move toward a better path to life. Additional information on Avivia Health can be found by calling 1-877-4AVIVIA (877-428-4842) or by visiting www.aviviahealth.com.

About Health Dialog

Health Dialog Services Corporation is a leading provider of healthcare analytics and decision support. The firm is a private, wholly-owned subsidiary of Bupa, a global provider of healthcare services. Health Dialog helps healthcare payors improve healthcare quality while reducing overall costs. Company offerings include health coaching for medical decisions, chronic conditions, and wellness; population analytic solutions; and consulting services. Health Dialog helps individuals participate in their own healthcare decisions, develop more effective relationships with their physicians, and live healthier, happier lives. For more information please visit www.healthdialog.com.

For additional information please contact Leigh Canavan, Manager, Marketing& Communications at 404-364-4851 or [email protected].

Media Contact: Mrs. Leigh Canavan
Manager, Marketing & Communications
[email protected]
404-364-4851

SOURCE Avivia Health