COLORADO LEADS THE NATION AS THE FIRST STATE TO SUPPORT COMPREHENSIVE WEB-BASED FLU SYSTEM FOR PATIENTS AND PHYSICIANS

Flu Program Allows Patients to Assess Symptoms Quickly, Interact with Their Physician and Receive Advice on When to Return to Work or School

On Thursday, October 22,Governor Bill Ritter, Jr. announced Colorado's support of the nation's first comprehensive patient flu health-assessment Web site - AMAfluhelp.org - designed to help patients determine the severity of their flu symptoms and allow them to share their information with their physician.

AMAfluhelp.org is a FREE and secure interactive Web solution powered by HealthyCircles and designed to help patients and physicians better communicate and improve care coordination. The program walks patients through a series of questions to determine the severity of their flu symptoms based upon the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Patients can choose to share their information and assessment with their physician as well as family members and loved ones.

AMAfluhelp.org also provides a set of online tools designed by physicians for physicians to monitor their patients' symptoms, facilitate care and treatment decisions, and efficiently manage their practice patient flow.

"As part of Colorado's dedication to healthcare technology, we are proud to be the first state in the nation to support this great new tool for Colorado families and medical providers," Governor Bill Ritter, Jr., said today. "Not only will the site help patients determine if they are at risk for H1N1 but it will also provide answers to their questions about when they can return to school or work."

AMAfluhelp.org can help patients assess their own flu symptoms, or those of a child or loved one, and offer guidance on whether they should seek care. There is also a choice for pregnant women to evaluate their need for a flu vaccine. AMAfluhelp.org can also generate a doctor's note when it is safe to return to work or school. Personal information entered into the system is treated as private and secure through Microsoft HealthVault®. No one can access any data without express consent from the user.

"On behalf of the 7,300 members of the Colorado Medical Society, we are extremely pleased that our patients now have a comprehensive Web-based flu assessment program," said Michael Volz, M.D. "We are equally pleased that Governor Ritter has seen to it that Colorado is the first state in the country to roll out this program."

"Our practice is looking forward to having this new resource in action," said James Campbell, M.D., Denver West Pediatrics. "We have been seeing a nearly overwhelming number of H1N1 patients and call volumes have reached all time highs. I explained AMAfluhelp.org to our team and we are ready to get it up and running for our team and for our patients as soon as possible."

AMAfluhelp.org is the first application on the HealthyCircles platform that supports quality of care initiatives designed to link patients, physicians and other caregivers together. Through this developing platform, the AMA will offer a number of different quality of care applications in an environment that supports patient/physician communication, minimizes redundant testing and allows for continuous monitoring of patients with complex health conditions. The AMA is working with HealthyCircles to offer these health sessions built upon its expertise in healthcare policy, quality, patient safety, science and public health.

"HealthyCircles has extensive experience in the healthcare technology arena," said James Mault, M.D., FACS, chairman and CEO of HealthyCircles. "Our work with the AMA and the Flu Information and Care System (FICS) builds on the HealthyCircles model and is a first-of-its-kind, fully connected healthcare solution."

The AMAfluhelp.org resource was developed with support from members of the FICS coalition of organizations dedicated to healthcare quality and the deployment of this free connected health platform. These organizations include: AllOne Health, BlueCross NEPA, CVS Caremark, EMSC, HealthyCircles, HERAE, Merck, MedImpact, Microsoft, Minute Clinic, Schumacher Group, Staywell/Krames, Team Health and WorldDoc.

"We are hopeful that this new AMA tool will help reduce demands on our healthcare system," said Chris Lindley, director of the Emergency Preparedness and Response Division of the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. "We will continue to support and share resources within Colorado which give our citizens the
information they seek to make the appropriate health decisions for themselves and their loved ones, as it relates to the flu."

While AMAfluhelp.org is a useful tool for those who aren't sure whether they have a cold or the flu, it does not take the place of a visit to the doctor's office if symptoms are severe. Anyone who exhibits severe symptoms, such as a very high fever or difficulty breathing should contact their physician immediately or seek urgent care.

Visit www.Colorado.gov/nofluforyou and click the AMAfluhelp.org link to sign up today.

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About the AMA
The American Medical Association helps doctors help patients by uniting physicians nationwide to work on the most important professional and public health issues. Working together, the AMA's quarter of a million physician and medical student members are playing an active role in shaping the future of medicine. For more information on the AMA, please visit www.ama-assn.org.

About HealthyCircles
HealthyCircles aims to provide an interoperable platform for healthcare providers across the country to utilize in monitoring and providing care to patients. Similarly, the platform seeks to provide the necessary tools for patients and consumers to take responsibility for their health and be able to manage it. Overall, HealthyCircles strives to create a health platform that centralizes health information and improves the efficiency and effectiveness of healthcare in the United States. For more information on HealthyCircles, please visit www.healthycircles.com.