Health eVillages Coalition Continues Efforts to Provide Critical Ebola Clinical Information to Millions Worldwide

READING, Mass., March 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Health eVillages, a program founded by global healthcare activist Donato Tramuto and Physicians Interactive in partnership with the not-for-profit Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights organization, today reminded healthcare professionals (HCPs) and the public that its Collaborative Coalition continues supplying crucial information on the Ebola virus—even as heightened precautions begin diminishing in West Africa.

Thus far, there have been greater than 23,000 cases diagnosed and more than 9,000 deaths worldwide since the first case of the current Ebola epidemic was reported (in December 2013), according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Since the Ebola outbreak began to spread, the Coalition—which includes partners Healthways, MedHelp^®, WelVU^™, and Univadis^®—has delivered targeted communications on the disease to 3.3 million HCPs in 36 countries and more than one million US consumers.

Health eVillages continues to seek additional partners to aid in its efforts to ensure that accurate, up-to-date medical information and knowledge is available to HCPs and the greater public around the world to help prevent the spread of the disease. Companies, Nongovernmental Organizations (NGOs), and other organizations interested in joining the Health eVillages Collaborative Coalition can contact Mr. Tim Boivin at 1.224.209.6495 or [email protected].

"While we have met our goal of sharing Ebola information throughout the world, it is vital that the global public health community, local governments, and health systems do not become overconfident as publicity surrounding the crisis subsides," said Tramuto, who is also the Chairman and CEO of Physicians Interactive and a 2014 RFK Ripple of Hope laureate. "Fewer cases in affected countries represent a positive step forward. However, we must continue to strive to bring this epidemic to an end in West Africa and remain alert to prevent the spread of this horrific disease to other regions of the world."

The goal of the Health eVillages Collaborative Coalition, formed in October 2014, is to support ongoing Ebola global relief efforts through mobile and web-based applications that provide HCPs with practical clinical knowledge, as well as data to help reassure patients and reduce some of the unwarranted panic that has surrounded the disease.

Mark Friess, CEO of WelVU and a Health eVillages Advisory Board Member, said, "This Coalition's ability to quickly capture and communicate breaking Ebola news, treatment guidelines, and prevention strategies with a massive global audience should be applauded. The collaborative strategy being used by Health eVillages for the Ebola outbreak can—and should—be mobilized to help fight any global public health crisis, whether it is the recent re-emergence [of] measles and polio, or the next H1N1 (swine flu), or SARS."

The Collaborative Coalition currently includes the following:

• Health eVillages, which provides iPod^®, iPad^®, and other handheld devices equipped with specialized reference and clinical decision-support tools to HCPs in underserved areas around the world.
• Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights, whose global programs partner with individuals, charitable organizations, businesses and government agencies to carry forward the late senator's vision of building a more just and peaceful world.
• Physicians Interactive, which distributes information on Ebola to HCPs through its free Omnio™ mobile application and its MedAlert Pro™ messaging application.
• Healthways, the largest independent global provider of total population health management solutions, which supports information sharing through its various technology and coaching platforms.
• MedHelp, which shares information with millions of consumers through its website and award-winning mobile apps in pregnancy, women's health, diabetes, diet and fitness.
• WelVU, which shares knowledge about Ebola through its advanced mobile and web-based multimedia patient education and engagement platform, including the EbolaVU™ app.
• Univadis, a free global digital service that offers information on Ebola to HCPs through its portals worldwide.

Since its inception in 2011, Health eVillages has made a significant impact in improving access to life-saving medical knowledge and training for multiple programs in East Africa, the Caribbean, India, and rural Louisiana.

Shona Davies, the Univadis Programme and Communications Leader, said, "Our coalition has developed information packages in collaboration with publishers and other partners that have been extremely valuable to HCPs and the general public around the world. The Ebola crisis isn't over yet, so together our partners will continue to leverage these resources to support ongoing relief efforts in the worst affected regions, while also tapping into our global audience to identify volunteers who want to help."

About Health eVillages

Health eVillages, a program of the not-for-profit Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights 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. More information can be found at 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, multi-channel 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.

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