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COUNCIL ON AGING, SILICON VALLEY USES INTERNET TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE CARE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO ELDERLY AND DISABLED
Health Hero technology platform connects elderly with interactive health resources

Mountain View & San Jose, Calif. - November 8, 2001 - The Council on Aging, Silicon Valley and Health Hero® Network are launching a program that uses interactive technology to monitor the everyday physical condition of frail elderly and disabled persons throughout Santa Clara County. The program leverages the Health Hero technology platform to provide COA clients with Internet-based care management and in-home support services through daily monitoring and interactive contact with their care providers.

The Council on Aging hopes this program - powered by Health Hero’s technology platform - will increase client satisfaction by improving the frequency and quality of their communication, which will greatly enhance care manager efficiencies while reducing health care costs, client hospitalizations and emergency room visits. The Health Hero platform consists of the Health Buddy®, an easy-to-use patient communication appliance connected to the patient’s phone line, which sends information to the iCare Desktop™, a web-based patient management tool that monitors clients’ responses. Clients respond to daily questions customized by specific health conditions including senior wellness, diabetes, and congestive heart failure, enabling COA care managers to identify potentially serious problems and address them immediately.

“The Health Buddy appliance allows clients and their care manager to maintain a meaningful daily dialogue that ensures they are receiving sufficient care specific to their needs,” said Stephen Schmoll, executive director of COA, Silicon Valley. “Health Buddy will help frail homebound seniors and disabled individuals remain safe and comfortable in their own homes for as long as possible, which complements our overall mission to maintain an individual’s independence and dignity.”

The COA program began in October and will be evaluated for six months to determine if its ability to increase care manager efficiency and cut health care costs is significant enough to be incorporated permanently as one of COA’s home- and community-based services. Initially up to 200 COA clients will receive a Health Buddy appliance to help care managers identify potential problems before they occur, facilitate behavior modification and educate clients on self-management of their condition.

“The Health Hero platform greatly enhances the COA’s care management program, and we hope the combination’s success will result in elderly clients achieving independence and improving their overall quality of life,” said John Ariatti, president of Health Hero. “We believe this program will provide a positive blueprint for other county organizations wishing to effectively and economically connect their clients to interactive health resources.” Schmoll added, “this is the first large-scale test of this system in a county setting and could have a significant impact upon the way in which services are provided to the county’s rapidly expanding aging population.”

About Health Hero Network
Health Hero Network, Inc., based in Mountain View, California, develops and markets the industry leading technology platform for remote health monitoring, evaluation and management. The Health Hero platform includes the company’s Health Buddy® appliance and other licensee devices for data collection and communications with patients, and iCare Desktop™, an Internet-based care management and research solution for healthcare professionals. Health Hero Network also provides a secure data center acting as the repository for application services and collected data, and programs for over a dozen major chronic diseases. Health Hero Network licenses its platform to medical technology and services companies seeking a technology blueprint proven to enable better chronic care with lower costs to the healthcare system. Health Hero Network technology is protected by over 50 issued U.S. patents. For more information about Health Hero, visit www.healthhero.com.

Council On Aging, Silicon Valley
Founded in 1974, The Council on Aging, Silicon Valley, Inc. is a non-profit organization that plans, develops, funds and provides a range of health and support services for older persons living within the county. It provides direct financial support for such services as Meals on Wheels, para-transit service, adult day care, information and assistance, care management and in-home assistance.