Hackensack University Medical Center Partners with CNOW to Launch Innovative Telehealth Pilot

HACKENSACK, N.J. and MOUNT DORA, Fla., Oct. 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- CNOW, one of the leading providers of telehealth solutions for individuals with mental health issues and developmental disabilities, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Hackensack University Medical Center (HackensackUMC), the largest provider of inpatient and outpatient services in New Jersey. Our nation is experiencing a shortage of psychiatrists and other behavioral health professionals, yet demand continues to increase. CNOW's telehealth solutions (also known as telemedicine) will effectively allow HackensackUMC's medical staff to connect with patients receiving psychiatric care through real-time, interactive video visits in the hospital, to the home, or anywhere services need to be delivered at any time.

"We are pleased to partner with CNOW to offer faster, more convenient care to our patients," said Diego Coira, M.D., chairman of the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Medicine and Medical Director of the Debra Simon Center for Integrative Medicine at HackensackUMC. "This telehealth pilot program can help increase communication with our behavioral health patients­ increasing accessibility to their healthcare team and alleviating some of the anxiety that sometimes accompanies treatment."

Tim Miller, CEO of CNOW, says, "CNOW's partnership with HackensackUMC provides an exciting opportunity to increase the reach of behavioral health services for us both. Our technology has been proven in securely delivering instant remote support while overcoming common service barriers. This pilot will further endorse the use of telemedicine to augment treatment within this population. We look forward to what the future holds."

Technology has changed how we bank, shop, travel, and connect, to name a few. And now healthcare organizations are utilizing technology to deliver care 'when' and 'where' it is needed most. CNOW's telehealth solution enables doctors to instantaneously connect with their patients regardless of locations. It optimizes access, shortens emergency department wait times, reduces unnecessary hospital admissions, and reduces costs. To date, over a half a million telehealth sessions have been conducted using CNOW.

About CNOW

Since 1999, CNOW has designed, developed, and managed a customized interactive telehealth videoconferencing network, and is the longest continuous provider to deliver healthcare remotely to individuals with developmental disabilities and mental health issues. CNOW is unique in the emerging telehealth industry through its convergence of telehealth technology and clinical service delivery. With locations across the country, over half-a-million telehealth sessions have been conducted using the CNOW ® system, bridging the gap between patient need and the paucity of support during critical times when intervention is imperative. CNOW has been the recipient of three major Federal and State grants to evaluate the efficacies of telemedicine treatment. During these studies, over 8,000 telehealth sessions were completed and involved primary care physicians, psychiatrists, nurses, behavior analysts, speech therapists, psychologists, social workers and educational administrators. The results indicated tremendous satisfaction rates from patients and providers using the medium to provide these professional services. CNOW has successfully and effectively implemented a nation-wide, interactive telehealth system and is the only telehealth provider to demonstrate twice at the U.S. Senate Hearings on Combating Autism. To learn more, visit www.cnowinc.com.

About Hackensack University Medical Center

HackensackUMC, a nonprofit teaching and research hospital located in Bergen County, NJ, is the largest provider of inpatient and outpatient services in the state. Founded in 1888 as the county's first hospital, it is the flagship hospital of Hackensack University Health Network, one of the largest health networks in the state comprised of 1,717 beds, more than 10,000 team members and 3,300 credentialed physicians. HackensackUMC was listed as the number one hospital in New Jersey in U.S. News & World Report's 2015-16 Best Hospital rankings - maintaining its place atop the NJ rankings since the rating system was introduced. It was also named one of the top four New York Metro Area hospitals. HackensackUMC is the only hospital in New Jersey, New York and New England to be named one of Healthgrades America's 50 Best Hospitals™ nine consecutive years, and receive the Healthgrades Distinguished Hospital Award for Clinical Excellence™ 13 years in a row. The medical center is one of the top 25 green hospitals in the country according to Practice Greenhealth, and received 23 Gold Seals of Approval™ by the Joint Commission – more than any other hospital in the country. It was the first hospital in New Jersey and second in the nation to become a Magnet® recognized hospital for nursing excellence; receiving its fifth consecutive designation in 2014. HackensackUMC is the Hometown Hospital of the New York Giants and the New York Red Bulls and is Official Medical Services Provider to The Barclays PGA Golf Tournament. It remains committed to its community through fundraising and community events. To learn more, visit: www.HackensackUMC.org.

CONTACT: Jayne Barnes, 1-352-383-2580, [email protected]

SOURCE CNOW

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