Vioxx sufferers and their families have hope for justice after one plaintiff wins ground-breaking Vioxx lawsuit

Vioxx sufferers and their families have hope for justice after one plaintiff wins ground-breaking Vioxx lawsuit

To support those adversely affected by Vioxx, attorneys advertising on LawyersandSettlements. com continue to accept formal complaints from consumers and their loved ones.

Bellingham, WA (PRWEB) August 24, 2005

Angleton, Texas – The first of over 4,200 pending lawsuits has been won against Merck & Co., the maker of the controversial pain killer Vioxx. The jury awarded $253 million in damages to the widow of a man who died unexpectedly from a sudden change in heartbeat rhythm while taking Vioxx.

This plaintiff is not alone. Since 2002, LawyersandSettlements. com has received over 3,000 consumer complaints linking Vioxx with various health conditions and heart diseases. LawyersandSettlements. com is a privately held Internet marketing company that specializes in joint advertising campaigns for lawyers and law firms. LawyersandSettlements. com has a pulse on current legal news and settlement outcomes.

In September 2004, more than five years since its launch, Vioxx was quickly removed from pharmacy shelves. This voluntary action from Merck was induced by pressure from the FDA and the results from a three-year clinical study which indicated an increased risk of heart attack and stroke caused by Vioxx.

Vioxx is among a new class of Cox-2 inhibitor drugs which are typically prescribed to those with acute and chronic pain, such as arthritis, osteoarthritis, and back pain. At the time of the recall, Vioxx was being used by over two million people worldwide.

As more Vioxx complaints are submitted to LawyersandSettlements. com, analysts predict that MerckÂ’s total liability may reach $18 billion from new and pending state and federal lawsuits. Merck has vowed to fight the upcoming lawsuits and appeal the current verdict in Texas. Despite the 2004 losses from the Vioxx product recall and the current pending lawsuits, Merck & Co. earns over $22 billion in annual revenues.

LawyersandSettlements. com promotes free case evaluations for those affected by Vioxx or similar drugs Bextra and Celebrex. To join a Vioxx class action lawsuit, submit your case for free legal evaluation, visit https://www. lawyersandsettlements. com/case/vioxx? ref=vioxx_pr (https://www. lawyersandsettlements. com/case/vioxx? ref=vioxx_pr)

About Online Legal Services Ltd (OLS) and www. lawyersandsettlements. com:

LawyersandSettlements. com offers a comprehensive website with up-to-date legal news, class action lawsuits, personal injury cases, settlement details, product recalls, and more. Consumers can receive free case evaluations. Justice for Everyone.

Visit us at:

Http://www. lawyersandsettlements. com/ (http://www. lawyersandsettlements. com/)

Contact us at:

604-608-3435

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Stretch Mark Miracle Caviar. Solution for Always Beautiful Skin

Stretch Mark Miracle Caviar. Solution for Always Beautiful Skin

Sweetsation Therapy offers New Ellasti*Belly Stretch Mark Miracle Caviar and Ellasti*Belly Stretch Mark Miracle Oil. The products are a pure luxury designed for pregnant women who would like to avoid getting stretch marks during pregnancy or fast weight gain. Created by a pregnant mom, for a pregnant mom, who is looking for safe and Organic alternatives with a maximum of benefits and results.

Palm Beach, FL (PRWEB) February 13, 2009

Sweetsation Therapy has just released on the market Organic Ellasti*Belly Stretch Mark Miracle Caviar and Organic Ellasti*Belly Stretch Mark Miracle Oil. The products are a pure luxury designed for pregnant women who would like to avoid getting stretch marks during pregnancy or fast weight gain. Created by a pregnant mom, for a pregnant mom, who is looking for safe and Organic alternatives with a maximum of benefits and results. More information can be found on www. sweetsationtherapy. com/category_2/Organic-Pregnancy-Skin-Care. htm (http://www. sweetsationtherapy. com/category_2/Organic-Pregnancy-Skin-Care. htm).

Organic Ellasti*Belly skin care line was created combining 30(!) best known elasticity boosting Essential Oils and extracts, including rare ingredients like Caviar Extract and Reishi Mushroom. The product increases circulation, cell hydration, repairs and tones the skin preventing appearance of stretch marks and reducing appearance of existing ones. Rich in lycopene, carotenoids, essential fatty acids Omega 3, 6 and 9, beta carotene., manganese, proteins, Vitamins E, C, F, B1, B2, B6, B12, D, & K. Rare Caviar (Roe) Extract incorporated into the formula is very rich in vitamins A, D, B1, B2, B6 and micro-elements Co, Cu, P, Si, Zn as well as amino acids like glycine, lysine, histidine, arginine, asparagine, are all essential for the health and beauty of the skin. Those ingredients intensify the processes inside the skin cells and at the same time slow down the degradation process. Caviar Extracts (or Roe Extract) are a source of vitamins, nucleic acids, phospholipids and proteins. They are in themselves a source of marine DNA, a key element to skin cell regeneration. The delicious aroma of proprietary citrus essential oil blend, is uplifting, relieving depression and anxiety. It has an almost hypnotic effect on the mind and can be helpful in relieving stress and tension due to its soothing action on the nervous system. Incorporation of this large amount of nature's ingredients in one formula has not been done before.

About Sweetsation Therapy

Sweetsation Therapy was created by Natalja Millsap in 2008 with the collaboration of two USA based labs and a team of chemists, aroma therapists and dermatologists. Her idea behind it was creating a luxury brand of Organic Pregnancy products, that are safe and address pregnancy skin issues as well as emotional changes through Aroma therapy. Each ingredient was checked against Cosmetic Safety Database and verified that it is safe to use for pregnancy. Sweetsation Therapy believes in being environmentally conscience and living green. So "Recycle and be Rewarded" program has been put in place encouraging customers to return their empty packaging for a reward of a product of their choice. For information visit www. sweetsationtherapy. com/pages/aboutus. htm (http://www. sweetsationtherapy. com/pages/aboutus. htm).

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Coveo Solutions Inc. to Demonstrate Coveo Enterprise Search for SharePoint at Enterprise Search Summit

Coveo Solutions Inc. to Demonstrate Coveo Enterprise Search for SharePoint at Enterprise Search Summit

Coveo Solutions Inc. will be providing live demonstrations of its newest product, Coveo Enterprise Search for SharePoint, at its booth at the Enterprise Search Summit in New York, scheduled for May 17th and 18th.

Quebec City, Canada / Palo Alto, CA (PRWEB) May 10, 2005

Coveo Solutions Inc., a pioneer of integrated and secure search solutions for the desktop, Intranet and Web, today announced that its newest product, Coveo Enterprise Search (CES) for SharePoint, will feature prominently in its booth at the Enterprise Search Summit 2005, taking place May 17th and 18th in New York City.

This event marks the debut of CES for SharePoint in a public venue and represents the first opportunity for Coveo to demonstrate to a large live audience the productÂ’s ease of use and innovative features such as results navigation, quick view and document summaries.

Coveo is among the first vendors to offer full integration of pure search into MicrosoftÂ’s prominent collaboration platform. With a CES solution in place, SharePoint users can find internal information more quickly and easily, making the company portal an integral part of individual productivity. Administrators will ultimately benefit from their usersÂ’ improved search experience via increased stickiness of the corporate portal, which translates to a better return on their existing SharePoint investment.

What: Live demonstrations of Coveo Enterprise Search for SharePoint

Where: Booth #112, Enterprise Search Summit, Hilton New York

When: May 17th – 18th, 2005  

About Enterprise Search Summit

Enterprise Search Summit, organized by Information Today, Inc., is an intensive two-day learning experience that covers the nuts and bolts of developing and managing an internal search capability. The concentrated curriculum, which has been completely revised and updated for 2005, offers a structured learning environment where information managers and IT professionals can grasp the strategies and get the know-how they need to make the content that they are acquiring, publishing, organizing, and managing not only searchable, but “findable.” For more information, visit http://www. enterprisesearchsummit. com (http://www. enterprisesearchsummit. com).

About Coveo Solutions Inc

Coveo develops and sells enterprise search software that allows all individuals within an organization to access and integrate multiple collections of data with one unified view, providing tangible productivity enhancements and ROI. By combining content from the desktop, the intranet and the Internet, with one integrated tool, data is quickly and easily located. With unmatched relevance and true out-of-the-box security, over 4,500 businesses and organizations worldwide benefit from Coveo Enterprise Search through increased revenue, greatly improved productivity and compliance with regulatory mandates. Key customers include AAA Automotive, AMN Healthcare, Credit Lyonnais, Valeo, FastSigns, Harris Corporation, Hewlett Packard, InfoSpace, Massachusetts Department of Education and Spectra-Physics. To download fully-functional free version of Coveo Enterprise Search, please visit http://www. coveo. com/en/enterprise-search/download. html (http://www. coveo. com/en/enterprise-search/download. html).

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Not All Slings Are Created Equally: Baby Sling & Carrier Manufacturers Speak Out On Baby Sling Safety Warning

Not All Slings Are Created Equally: Baby Sling & Carrier Manufacturers Speak Out On Baby Sling Safety Warning

Baby sling & carrier manufacturers speak out on baby sling safety warning and Associated Press article.

Dallas, TX (PRWEB) March 11, 2010

With the publication of an Associated Press article regarding the CPSC government warning on baby slings and the Consumers Union’s concerns about “bag-style” slings, the companies co-sponsoring this release are taking a stand to help educate the public on the differences between safe vs. unsafe baby slings and carriers as detailed below.

The ancient practice of babywearing made its way into western culture in the 1960s and its popularity with American consumers has grown because of its vast benefits. Unfortunately, this has led to the creation of several potentially unsafe baby slings and carriers. Slings and carriers of concern are popularly categorized under the token term “bag-style” slings. In “bag-style” slings, the deep pouch where baby sits puts the baby in a potentially suffocating curved or “C” like position. Also, excessive fabric with an elasticized edge may cover baby’s face inhibiting breathing. Furthermore, the design may cause the baby’s face to turn in toward a caregiver’s body, potentially smothering the baby.

In contrast, shallow pouch-style slings, ring slings, mei tais and wraps hold baby in proper alignment and they fit snugly by design and instruction. They have been engineered, developed and tested by parents, often the manufacturers themselves with their own children. These carriers are often simple and without gimmicks. Dedicated and concerned manufacturers of these types of safe slings and carriers have sponsored this release.

Because of the popularity and gaining market share of small baby carrier companies, a few years ago the Juvenile Products Manufactures Association (JPMA) was approached by a handful of these companies asking for a standard to be created. These companies were initially alarmed by the creation of some carriers, mostly by home crafters, fashioned from materials unsuitable for baby products. Soon after, M’liss Stelzer, a pediatric nurse, did an oxygenation study discovering a potential link between infant deaths and “bag-style” style slings therefore creating even more need for the standard as well as further study.

Upon this need the ASTM, an internationally recognized creator of standards for consumer products and test procedures, created a subcommittee for Sling Carrier Standards. The ASTM Subcommittee is made up of manufacturers, consumer advocates and government officials from the US and Canada including members of the CPSC. The subcommittee started writing the standard two years ago. In this time more deaths have occurred, all linked to the “bag-style” sling being reported by Jennifer Kerr, a writer for the Associated Press in the article referenced in the first line of this release. This has alerted the CPSC to take necessary action and issue this warning.

In well-designed products, babywearing is not only safe, but is actually very beneficial when done properly. Studies have shown that quality baby slings and carriers have been shown to save lives, improve health, decrease crying, increase IQ, and facilitate breastfeeding and bonding. For examples of these cases and further reading see “Increased Carrying Reduces Infant Crying: A Randomized Controlled Trial” an article written by Urs A. Hunziker MD and Ronald G. Barr MDCM, FRCP(C), “Saving My Baby” a blog post written on Fierce Mama’s Blog by Sarah Kaganovsky and Dr. Maria Blois’s book Babywearing.

Studies have also shown that worn babies are happier and spend more time in the quiet alert phase. In this phase they benefit more than their non-worn peers in language development and knowledge acquisition. Babywearing also helps babies sleep better, and physical needs, including breastfeeding, are met more quickly by a close, responsive parent. Millions of babies over time have been worn to their benefit making baby slings and carriers more of a necessity than the often-publicized fashion accessory. (Source La Leche League International)

The vast benefits of babywearing should not be disregarded with the report of incidents from “bag-style” slings. The sponsors of this release make safer baby slings and carriers and have been active in the standard writing process and are dedicated to safety through engineering. “We see this as an opportunity to reach out and educate American consumers. We hope to provide valuable information allowing parents and caregivers to not only make informed buying decisions, but also to increase the awareness of how to properly wear children, especially babies, in baby slings and carriers,” says Kristen DeRocha, ASTM Subcommittee Chair. The Associated Press article regarding the CPSC warning gives proof to the growing popularity of baby slings and carriers and validates the need for education.

Several trusted websites exist to aid in the education of babywearing for caregivers and new parents. To name a few: TheBabywearer. com, the Facebook fan page for Babywearing Safety, Mothering. com and LaLecheLeague. org.

This press release was sponsored by:
Hotslings, Maya Wrap, Moby Wrap, Wrapsody, Gypsymama, Together Be, Kangaroo Korner, Taylormade Slings, Scootababy, Bellala Baby, Catbird Baby, SlingEZee, ZoloWear, HAVA, SlingRings and Sakura Bloom

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Leading Tech Vendors Drive Sales with Online PR

Leading Tech Vendors Drive Sales with Online PR

Softscribe adds online PR product to fuel technology clients’ sales growth; debuts new Website.

Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) November 22, 2005

Softscribe Inc., a technology public relations firm focused on driving sales for companies targeting the US government, healthcare and hospitality markets, today announced a new online PR product (http://www. softscribeinc. com/services/keyword. php4/?campaign=prweb1) to fuel clients’ sales growth (http://www. softscribeinc. com/about/clients. php4/?campaign=prweb1) and leverage their marketing investments. Softscribe also launched its new website today at http://www. softscribeinc. com (http://www. softscribeinc. com) to introduce the offering.

The new signature service, KeywordCapital keyword phrase research, will be used by clients who want to draw more qualified prospects to their websites by making their technology public relations (http://www. softscribeinc. com/services/?campaign=prweb1) writing and websites more attractive to search engines. Keywords or phrases relate to a particular topic; sales prospects often type them into search engine browsers during the early stages of the technology buying cycle. Softscribe’s KeywordCapital (http://www. softscribeinc. com/services/keyword. php4/?campaign=prweb1) service develops a list of keyword phrases - based on competitiveness, popularity and relevance - for which the largest numbers of people are searching.

“Clients were asking, ‘How can more prospects find our company on the Internet?” said Michael B. Squires, president of Softscribe Inc. “During the past year, Softscribe has been aggressively learning how to apply the principles of Search Engine Marketing to online PR. One effective way is to use relevant keyword phrases in public relations writing and on websites. You may think you know the words that describe what you are selling, but are they the same words your sales prospects are using to find you on the Internet? The research that goes into our KeywordCapital product ensures they are the same.”

Jay Troutman, president of Aptech Computer Systems (http://www. aptech-inc. com/?campaign=prweb1), said, “We told Softscribe that if they were not exploring Internet-based lead generation they ought to be, and were pleased to see they anticipated our needs.” Aptech engaged Softscribe to implement a long-term customer story PR program (http://www. softscribeinc. com/services/customers. php4/?campaign=prweb1) in 2001 that resulted in boosted qualified inbound sales leads and a 30% increase in website traffic. Aptech is the foremost provider of business intelligence, enterprise planning, financial, and operational software and services for the hospitality industry. In addition to the customer story program, Aptech also uses Softscribe’s new KeywordCapital product and its optimized website writing program.

Squires explained KeywordCapital may be integrated with the customer story program. He highlighted three other Softscribe clients that have successfully deployed Softscribe’s customer story campaign to:

  Grow from a legacy company to a digital-age success story and acquisition target;  Accelerate growth from a product start-up mode to being acquired for $30 million;  Drive 24% growth increase.

New website homepage features clients’ breaking news Softscribe’s new website homepage will post breaking client news for greater reach across Web channels. “Fresh content causes a chain reaction on the Internet that pulls search engines to your site," said Squires, who recommends companies post fresh content weekly, if possible, through blogs, thought leadership columns or by repurposing press releases and Webinar content.

The following best-in-class companies created Softscribe’s new website:

Website design and construction:

 Cool Blue Interactive (http://www. coolblueinteractive. com/?campaign=prweb1)  Graphic design and art direction: Hortensia Chu with McMac Publications (http://www. mcmacpublications. com/?campaign=prweb1)  Counsel on Search Marketing concepts: Prominent Placement, Inc. (http://www. prominentplacement. com/?campaign=prweb1)

For more information on KeywordCapital or to register for a marketing analysis, please visit www. softscribeinc. com or contact Julie Keyser-Squires at julie@softscribeinc. com,

(404) 256-5512.

About Softscribe Inc.

Founded in 1999, Softscribe Inc. practices true public relations, not just publicity, to help technology companies targeting the US government (http://www. softscribeinc. com/industries/government. php4/?campaign=prweb1), healthcare (http://www. softscribeinc. com/industries/healthcare. php4/?campaign=prweb1) and hospitality (http://www. softscribeinc. com/industries/hospitality. php4/?campaign=prweb1) industries drive product sales and solidify their brands. The company does this through a blend of traditional one-to-one-marketing public relations and imaginative Search Marketing with an emphasis on media and influencer relationships, writing and a focus on messaging strategy. Softscribe is honored to be chosen by Aptech Computer Systems, Inc., Gold Key Solutions, LodgeNet, NORTHWIND, Manugistics, Vantis International Corporation, SECURE-RES, Troux Technologies and many other leading technology companies. For more information please visit www. softscribeinc. com.

Media Contact:

Julie Keyser-Squires, APR

Softscribe Inc.

Julie@softscribeinc. com

(404)256-5512

Http://www. softscribeinc. com (http://www. softscribeinc. com)

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Singapore's Premier Ventriloquist Announces Launch of a New Birthday Party Company

Singapore's Premier Ventriloquist Announces Launch of a New Birthday Party Company

The professional full puppet ventriloquist in Singapore, Joseph Then, recently announced the opening of his new company, Pro Party Central. With over two thousand party performances in seven years, he offers an experience second to none for all Singapore birthday parties.

Singapore (PRWEB) January 8, 2008

Singapore's Professional puppet ventriloquist, Joseph Then, recently announced the opening of his new company, Pro Party Central. With over two thousand party performances in seven years, he offers an experience second to none for all Singapore birthday parties.

Joseph Then has more than ten years of experience in the children's entertainment industry. His dedication to his work is not only apparent in the passion behind his character Mister Puppet, but also from his work as an educator. Working locally in schools as a Singapore Puppet Ventriloquist (http://www. misterpuppet. com), he also brings in awareness to children in areas of fire safety, healthy eating, anti-smoking and injury prevention via his puppets as another of his fortes.

Such a creative mind coupled with an amazing ability to connect with children at their level of communication is such a gift to his audiences. "I Love Reading", "Super Safe Surfing" and "Celebrating Singapore" are examples of specialized shows he has developed for popular educational theme days in schools. Small event managers will now have easy access to Joseph Then via the website www. propartycentral. com which launched on 2 January 2008.

His natural flair for captivating young audiences has now relocated to his new company that he has personally named Pro Party Central. While Joseph Then and Mister Puppet are the main features for party fun, he has ensured access to a wide range of delightful party add-ons that are also along the creative line.

Joseph Then knows how to enliven any party, function or show and he understands that not all families are working within the same budgets. For this reason he has created two party packages and enables all children to experience a Mister Puppet at their next big event. The easy party package includes a half hour show from Mister Puppet, a hosted cake-cutting ceremony and balloon animals for each child. Alternatively the full party package also provides hosted party games with prizes for half an hour, a party bag for each child and a fantastic 18" balloon piñata.

Making every birthday party a hit is easy when Pro Party Central is on the job. Party packages are generally for twenty children and numbers can be easily increased for a small, per head charge. Through Pro Party Central, add-ons such as a face painter, henna artist, caricature artist and indoor balloon decorator can all be easily arranged and booked, making them the new one stop shop for a singapore birthday party (http://www. propartycentral. com) or event.

For an event that calls for a personal touch, Pro Party Central can be trusted 100%. Whether it's an office party, small event with up to 500 guests or a kid's birthday party, Mister Puppet and his team provides top notch entertainment. Joseph Then can be contacted at his website or on telephone number 6543 4321

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Doctor Mom Fights Toddler Inactivity and Obesity With Sporty New DVD Series

Doctor Mom Fights Toddler Inactivity and Obesity With Sporty New DVD Series

Lara Hayes Needham, Ph. D., a mother of two toddlers who holds a doctorate degree in health communication, is using her education and parenting experiences to combat childhood inactivity and obesity through her newly launched, multi award-winning BABYPRO video series. BABYPRO offers a healthy, physically engaging alternative to the traditional cognitive-learning themes that have saturated the baby video marketplace.

(PRWEB) April 22, 2005

Lara Hayes Needham, Ph. D., a mother of two toddlers who holds a doctorate degree in health communication, is using her education and parenting experiences to combat childhood inactivity and obesity through her newly launched, multi award-winning BABYPRO video series. BABYPRO offers a healthy, physically engaging alternative to the traditional cognitive-learning themes that have saturated the baby video marketplace.

Says Hayes Needham, “As a parent and health educator, I find it difficult to reconcile the appropriate use of children's television in my home. Much of toddler programming is focused on making babies smarter or happier by offering passive learning through toys and nature scenes, and I attribute these types of videos to be a driving force behind the sedentary, out-of-shape preschoolers we see today. I want my children to use television as a medium for physical inspiration and personal greatness, and BABYPRO was created from that desire.”

BABYPRO's unique format is rooted in research on children's viewing recommendations, gross motor skill development, preschool cognition and auditory stimuli. Through its use of captivating, real-life sports imagery, and exhilarating classical overtures and marches, BABYPRO introduces sports play to a new generation and promotes healthy, active play for a lifetime

“These videos are already winners with sports-inspired families,” says Hayes Needham, “but it is my goal to provide every little TV viewer with the tools necessary to lead a healthy and physically active life.”

For additional information or to review copies of any BABYPRO video, contact: BABYPRO, LLC at 888-668-6646 or visit BABYPRO online at http://www. BABYPROsports. com (http://www. BABYPROsports. com)

About BABYPROÍ, LLC

BABYPRO, LLC is a mom-inspired, multi award-winning children's educational media company that is committed to encouraging active play for babies and toddlers. BABYPRO released its first video “Let's Play Ball!” in December 2004, and released its second title “Let's Make a Splash!” at the International Toy Fair (NYC) in February 2005. BABYPRO's third title, “Let's Dance & Tumble!” will be available Summer 2005. For more information about BABYPRO or to learn about “Encouraging active play…for a lifetime!” please visit http://www. babyprosports. com (http://www. babyprosports. com) or email contact@babyprosports. com.

About Lara Hayes Needham, Ph. D.

Ms. Needham founded BABYPRO, LLC to create a new genre of inspirational “Baby TV” that encourages children to play actively and healthfully for a lifetime. She has more than a decade of experience in the field of health communication as a researcher, writer, speaker and currently as the creative consultant, media spokesperson and marketing contact for BABYPRO, LLC.

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Microsoft Selects the WellMed Health Hub™ for its 60,000 U. S. Employees and Dependents

Microsoft Selects the WellMed Health Hub™ for its 60,000 U. S. Employees and Dependents

Utilization high as employees manage personal health information using secure online tools and resources

(PRWEB) May 24, 2002

Portland, OR –– WellMed, Inc., a health communication company, today announced its selection by Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) to integrate its online health and benefits technology to drive a comprehensive employee health portal called MicrosoftHealth. This portal was launched in March and provides Microsoft employees and their dependents with personalized, secure, online health management information and resources. MicrosoftHealth is accessible internally and externally and enables employees and their families to easily:

•  Identify health risks

•  Enter and safely store personal health information

•  Access interactive health improvement programs

•  Access Microsoft health benefits information

•  Search for medical information from a variety of credible sources

MicrosoftÂ’s selection of the WellMed platform was based on the flexible customization it provides. Following a comprehensive examination of WellMedÂ’s proprietary technology, policies and procedures, Microsoft gave WellMed high scores on security and privacy.

“Privacy and security are a top concern for Microsoft,” said Tom McPherson, Health Benefits Manager at Microsoft. “Following a thorough audit confirming that WellMed’s platform met our standards, we are now able to offer meaningful online resources to help our employees better manage their health.”

WellMed’s platform – or Health Hub -- was developed to help self-insured employers like Microsoft increase the quality of care and services they provide while controlling escalating health care costs. The Health Hub provides a secure online health communication platform that aggregates self-reported health information, integrates it with client systems based on the company’s business rules, benefits, guidelines and third-party health resources, then following proprietary analysis, communicates with clients and individuals to guide them in achieving their health-related objectives. With the WellMed Health Hub, Microsoft can easily modify its existing health programs to more effectively meet employee needs and bring about positive behavioral change within the organization.

Bringing health and benefit resources online further illustrates MicrosoftÂ’s commitment to its employees and their families, while paralleling WellMedÂ’s vision of delivering secure, intuitive online heath care solutions.

“Microsoft recognizes the importance of empowering people with the tools and information they need to effectively manage their health,” said Craig Froude, chairman and CEO of WellMed. “Aligning with WellMed is a natural extension of that philosophy. Microsoft is committed to maintaining the leading position in its industry, which means their employees will have the most comprehensive and sophisticated health information and communication capabilities available to them.”

The WellMed Health Hub

The core products and related applications that make up the WellMed Health Hub include:

•  Personal Health Manager™ -- The interactive dashboard for individuals that contains a comprehensive suite of online health assessments, condition information and personalized, relevant health resources to elevate the userÂ’s ability to effectively manage health issues on a daily basis.

•  Personal Health Insight™ -- The decision-support control panel that clients use to analyze aggregate health data in real time, address population health risks, proactively implement preventive programs, and communicate directly with individual users.

•  Personal Health Connect™ -- The secure communication tool that facilitates online dialogue between individuals and providers, thus enabling more streamlined and effective individual health management.

About WellMed

WellMedÂ’s award-winning online products and services enable individuals to make informed decisions about their health while providing client organizations with business intelligence to proactively address costly health care issues. Organizations that purchase WellMedÂ’s solutions include self-insured corporations, health insurance companies, government agencies, pharmaceutical manufacturers and national retailers. WellMed, Inc. is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, with regional offices in Seattle, Atlanta, Austin and Boise.

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Jerry Schranz

CPRi Communications, Inc.

370 North Street

Teterboro, NJ 07608

201-641-1911 Phone ext. 14

Jschranz@cpronline. com

Geonetric’s Client Web Sites Recognized for Excellence at the Sixth Annual eHealthcare Leadership Awards

Geonetric’s Client Web Sites Recognized for Excellence at the Sixth Annual eHealthcare Leadership Awards

Geonetric, a leader in healthcare Internet technology design and development, recently had three clients recognized for achievement at the eHealthcare Leadership Awards, an annual competition that honors excellence in all areas of electronic health information. Competing in an applicant pool that contained over 1,200 entries, Geonetric’s clients earned Platinum, Gold and Silver Awards for categories including Best Site Design, Best Overall Internet Site, Best Interactive Site, and Best Healthcare Content Site. In doing so, Geonetric has provided each and every one of its clients with an award-winning online presence.

Cedar Rapids, IA (PRWEB) December 15, 2005

Geonetric, a leader in healthcare Internet technology design and development, recently had three clients recognized for achievement at the eHealthcare Leadership Awards, an annual competition that honors excellence in all areas of electronic health information. Competing in an applicant pool that contained over 1,200 entries, Geonetric’s clients earned Platinum, Gold and Silver Awards for categories including Best Site Design, Best Overall Internet Site, Best Interactive Site, and Best Healthcare Content Site. In doing so, Geonetric has provided each and every one of its clients with an award-winning online presence.

The leading awards program exclusively recognizes the very best Web sites of healthcare providers, health plans, healthcare associations, online health companies, pharmaceutical/medical equipment firms, suppliers, other healthcare organizations, and business improvement initiatives. These awards highlight the Internet's role in achieving an organization's business objectives and recognize the hard work that has gone into creating outstanding health Web sites.

“Our growing success and reputation in the marketplace as an innovations leader is underlined by the recognition our clients receive, and we are very grateful”, said Andrea Olson, Marketing Director at Geonetric. “More than anything, we are pleased to see the growing importance of eHealth and look forward to help our clients continue to push the envelope, finding new ways to meet their objectives and exceed their expectations.”

For the eHealthcare Leadership Awards program, an independent panel of individuals familiar with healthcare and the Internet evaluated each entry. Web sites were rated based on a standard of Internet excellence and how they compared with others in their group classification.

Genesis Health System out of Davenport, IA, has been a client of Geonetric since 2000 and was the flagship hospital to implement Geonetric’s VitalSiteÒ Content and Site Management Solution. Genesis received awards including Gold for Best Interactive Site for Healthcare Systems and Silver for Best Overall Internet site under the same classification. “This is our 3rd consecutive year receiving recognition at the eHealthcare Leadership Awards”, stated Ken Croken, Vice President Corporate Communications & Marketing with Genesis. “This underlines the fact that we have invested in the right direction and that the web will continue to be an integral part of our overall marketing strategy.”

National Jewish Medical and Research Center of Denver, CO, was the recipient of multiple awards, including Silver in the Best Healthcare Content for Hospitals under 200 beds and Gold for Best Overall Internet Site in the same classification. “Our Web site has evolved into one of our most important marketing tools, especially on a national level” said David Tinkelman, vice president of health initiatives at National Jewish. “Providing useful content online and making it easy to find has allowed us to attract visitors from around the nation to our Web site and to our hospital.” National Jewish has been a client of Geonetric since 2002 and uses Geonetric’s VitalSite system for its site and content management needs.

Norton Healthcare received a Platinum award for Best Site Design in the Healthcare System division. “The new NortonHealthcare. com site has been a dramatic and positive change in our web presence. The new design, content, navigation and increased interactive functionality have been met with a very positive response from our community and our health care system. We are now able to move in a direction that better serves our patients.” according to Elizabeth Scott, Director of eBusiness, Norton Healthcare. Norton Healthcare launched their new site in early 2005, including a complete site redesign, in partnership with Galvanon, and implementation of Geonetric’s VitalSite system. Norton has won 5 total awards for their site since launch.

Geonetric’s VitalSite system provides the framework for healthcare organizations to leap forward with their online initiatives. The system has two main parts: its core infrastructure and its powerful add-in modules. Designed to manage web sites, patient portals, intranets, employee portals, extranets and physician portals, VitalSite is a single, powerful platform built in. NET technology, designed to be heavily customized for each client’s unique needs, eliminating the restrictions of out of the box systems, while providing a stable, enterprise-class infrastructure for growth.

VitalSite’s infrastructure is made up of a series of core web functions including collaboration, content management, e-commerce, document management, search, security, taxonomy and integrated workflow. Working as a unified system, VitalSite enables organization to manage multiple sites, including Intranets and Extranets, personalizing and customizing the delivery of health information and services through Geonetric’s SmartPanel technology. Included is a series of configurable modules, such as Health Blogs, Gift Shop, Provider Directory and Bill Payment (where site visitors can pay hospital bills online) that provide easy-to-use online functionality to streamline and enhance the consumer, employee, physician and patient experience.

Olson agreed that this element of unification remains an important and under-addressed issue in e-healthcare. “With the growing abundance of healthcare web tools and information, organizations need to continually question how they can [communicate] better,” she said. “Geonetric’s belief is that the web will become an integral part of the healthcare delivery process and we want to help those innovative and forward-thinking organizations get there today.”

About Geonetric

A healthcare web technology company founded in 1999, Geonetric is focused exclusively on advancing the way hospitals interact and communicate with their markets. Through its products and services, Geonetric provides hospitals and health systems with the online tools necessary to increase patient satisfaction, improve patient/physician communications, generate direct revenue and streamline internal processes - advancing the industry towards the goal of achieving complete eHealth.

To learn more, visit the Geonetric web site at www. geonetric. com

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Bariatric Advantage to Offer More Great Education in 2009

Bariatric Advantage to Offer More Great Education in 2009

In 2008, Bariatric Advantage® successfully launched a series of free professional webinars on topics related to bariatric surgery. They are looking forward to being able to continue and improve this widely acclaimed service in 2009.

Irvine, CA (PRWEB) January 2, 2009

Bariatric Advantage®, a company dedicated to providing the best in nutritional products and services to help programs provide "best practices" care to weight loss surgery patients, reinforced their strong commitment to education in 2008 by launching a free series of on-line educational webinars. The programs have been so successful that the company plans to both continue and expand the offerings for 2009.

"Last year, we offered a dozen webinars on topics ranging from pregnancy and bariatric surgery to vertical sleeve gastrectomy. We were both pleased and amazed by the overwhelmingly positive response from the community," says Dr Jacqueline Jacques, Chief Science Officer of Bariatric Advantage. The webinars are offered for free to healthcare professionals who register at the company's website, and frequently feature expert Dr John Dixon, Head of Obesity Research at Monash University and Senior Clinical Scientist at the Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, Australia.

"Dr Dixon has been a big draw for us," notes Dr Jacques. "We look forward to having him present once a month in 2009, and we will be bringing in some new experts as well - in nursing and dietetics. We will also be pursuing offering continuing education credits for both new and past presentations."

The free webinars are archived on the company's website in a special area for healthcare professionals. Doctors, nurses, dietitians and others can create a login and password and can come back to the site at any time to view past webinars. The site also has other useful educational materials for bariatric programs and professionals.

The first webinar of 2009 is slated for Tuesday, January 13 at noon Pacific Time. The topic will be Bone Health and Bariatric Surgery. Dr Jacques states that this topic was one of the most requested during 2008, and she expects the discussion to be lively. "We do live discussion at the end of each webinar," notes Dr Jacques, "and it is often some of the most interesting material. Professionals like to know what their colleagues are thinking about, and what their ideas are, and we are happy to provide them with this forum."

For additional information, you can contact Dr Jacqueline Jacques at dr. jacques (at) bariatricadvantage (dot) com, or register in the Healthcare Professional area on www. bariatricadvantage. com.

About Bariatric Advantage®:
Bariatric Advantage® provides a complete line of nutritional supplements that have been specifically formulated to meet the unique demands of both the pre-operative bariatric surgical candidate, as well as the post-operative bariatric surgical patient. They are also committed to providing the quality education and services to the patients, surgeons, support groups and other allied medical professionals who dedicate their careers to helping improve the lives of the recovering obese patient.

Contact:
Jacqueline Jacques, ND
Chief Science Officer
Bariatric Advantage
(800) 898-6888
Dr. jacques (at) bariatricadvantage (dot) com

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Patients Beyond Borders Malaysia Edition to Launch in July

Patients Beyond Borders Malaysia Edition to Launch in July

New guide to showcase Malaysia's world-class medical facilities

Chapel Hill, NC (PRWEB) April 14, 2009

Healthy Travel Media and the Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia (APHM) jointly announce the launch of the Patients Beyond Borders: Malaysia Edition, to be published in English for international distribution. The Malaysia Edition will be formally launched on 21 July at the APHM/ASQua/ISQua Conference and Exhibition 2009 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

Produced in collaboration with Malaysia's Tourism Ministry and supported by hospitals and related private organizations, the 240-page guidebook will feature 16 pages of color inserts and offer an in-depth overview of Malaysia's 20+ international hospitals, selected health travel agents, nearby recovery and guest accommodations, and area travel information.

"Located centrally between Singapore and Thailand and with some of the best healthcare in Asia, Malaysia receives visitors from more than 30 countries throughout the region and the world," says Healthy Travel Media CEO Josef Woodman. "Malaysia's prices for procedures are on par with popular medical travel destinations such as India and Thailand, and its favorable climate and English-speaking culture attracts medical travelers from the US, Canada, the UK, Japan, and Australia."

Dato' Sri Dr. Ng Yen Yen, Malaysia's Minister of Tourism, is expected to formally launch the Patients Beyond Borders Malaysia Edition, to further emphasize the importance of medical travel to Malaysia's economic growth plans.

"Malaysia's quality healthcare system ranks among the best in Asia," says Dato' Dr. Jacob Thomas, President of Private Hospitals of Malaysia. "Value-conscious' patients will find costs here among the lowest of any international medical travel destination."

Patients Beyond Borders: Malaysia Edition will be available in bookstores and online retail channels throughout the world. The eBook edition will be available through lulu. com. Booksellers wishing to carry the Malaysia Edition should contact Publisher's Group West, www. pgw. com.

Current APHM members participating in the Patients Beyond Malaysia Edition include: Gleneagles Intan Medical Center, Gleneagles Medical Center Penang, Institut Jantung Negara (National Heart Institute), KPJ Healthcare Group, NCI Cancer Hospital and Specialist Clinics, Pantai Hospital Group, Penang Adventist Hospital, Prince Court Medical Center, Sime Darby Medical Center Subang Jaya and Sunway Medical Center.

About the Association of Private Hospitals
Established in 1972, APHM currently represents more than 100 private hospitals and medical clinics approved and licensed by Malaysia's Ministry of Health. Of those, more than 30 private hospitals are directly involved in medical tourism. Among APHM's objectives is the delivery of a high standard of healthcare to the public by coordinating activities of private hospitals and promoting healthcare services within Malaysia.

For more information about APHM, please contact:

Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia
Ms. Ruby Ng
Tel: +03 2284.0278
Fax: +03 2284.1278
Web: www. hospitals-malaysia. org

About Healthy Travel Media
Healthy Travel Media, an independent imprint based in Chapel Hill, NC, publishes books, eBooks, and Web-based consumer reference information on medical tourism and wellness travel. Patients Beyond Borders is available at Amazon and bookstores everywhere. The Patients Beyond Borders: Malaysia Edition is one of a series of in-country editions of the same name. For more information, visit: http://www. patientsbeyondborders. com (http://www. patientsbeyondborders. com).

For media queries, please contact:
United States
Judy Orchard
Tel: +1 919 545.0668
Http://www. patientsbeyondborders. com (http://www. patientsbeyondborders. com)

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Evergreen Systems, Inc. Announces Second Annual ITIL Benchmark Study

Evergreen Systems, Inc. Announces Second Annual ITIL Benchmark Study

Company identifies common pitfalls and provides best practice recommendations.

Sterling, VA (PRWEB) March 27, 2006 –

Evergreen Systems, a leading IT consulting firm, today announced the results of a survey of IT managers, directors and executives regarding the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) Benchmark Study conducted at the 10 International IT Service Management Conference, hosted by Pink Elephant. thData from the latest ITIL Benchmark suggests that while organizations using enterprise ITIL for change management are heading in the right direction, many programs are not implemented throughout the organization increasing their risk for failure.

Respondents indicated that top business driver of ITIL efforts is Service Quality and IT/Business Alignment, with CIOs increasingly turning to ITIL to help meet compliance requirements related to Sarbanes Oxley. However, organizational resistance and effective planning undermine many initiatives underpinning the need for increased senior-level support of and responsibility for these efforts.

To help companies overcome the common pitfalls highlighted by the survey, Evergreen offers five guidelines for organizations pursuing ITIL initiatives:

1) Take time to include a view of all ITIL disciplines when defining a strategy

2) Make foundation training for all key constituents an early baseline requirement

3) Spend the time to create and promote an effective strategy

4) Focus energy on articulating an enterprise change management system; there is less risk of adopting new technology

5) Focus on incident/problem management and enterprise change management effectiveness to build a solid foundation for further ITIL development

“One of the key findings from the survey is that increased corporate awareness and CIO support is vital in order to encourage commitment to long term ITIL initiatives and leave organizations less likely to fail in their change management efforts,” said Don Casson, president and CEO of Evergreen. To help ensure success, organizations should create and document their strategies, build a consensus plan supported by key constituents and take measured steps to build on provide value to the business. Those who create and execute a plan to lead their organizations, step-by-step, through the change brought about by a comprehensive ITIL initiative will significantly improve their odds of success.

The company polled 127 attendees from 108 companies, organizations and institutions to gauge the degree of commitment and analyze the barriers to the use of ITIL best practices for effective IT management. The greatest percentage of survey participants came from the Manufacturing (15 percent), Financial Services (14.2 percent) and Services (14.2) sectors. The full survey results are available at http://www. evergreensys. com/news_events/press_releases/ITILBenchmark. html (http://www. evergreensys. com/news_events/press_releases/ITILBenchmark. html)

Other key findings from the survey include:

As many organizations in the U. S. face accountability, security and regulatory compliance with Sarbanes Oxley, CIOs are feeling the need to respond to these requirements as a single IT enterprise. Of the 95 percent who selected ITIL as a framework they are using to improve IT operations, 54 percent of respondents have budgeted and approved ITIL project in the next six months. The leading choices for ITIL technology platforms are HP/Peregrine and BMC/Remedy, accounting for 60 percent of the market. The overwhelming business driver of organizations’ ITIL efforts is Service Quality, at 77 percent, while the very close second is IT/Business Alignment at 58 percent. While ITIL is gaining fast acceptance, organizations identified several barriers to ITIL adoption in their business. Most respondents (72 percent) claim the biggest obstacle is organizational resistance, while 34 percent are just not sure where to start.

“Through our work and networking at events like the recent Pink Elephant conference, Evergreen has witnessed an increasing number of organizations implementing ITIL programs in the United States,” said Don Casson. “The most recent survey results support our previous observations of high ITIL adoption; however, we remain concerned that many of the organizations continue to run these programs in a vacuum. For ITIL programs to be successful, they must be implemented throughout the organization in a thoughtful, strategic manner. We are confident that as more programs are elevated to CIO oversight they will be implemented more effectively and drive greater efficiencies and returns.”

Through interviews conducted at the 10 International IT Service Management Conference, hosted by Pink Elephantth, Evergreen gathered information from attendees on ten questions. The information extends beyond ITIL planning and commitment to the business drivers and barriers that the organizations face through ITIL program implementation. Regulatory requirements have led to the increased visibility of IT compliance and control efforts at the CIO level. On the whole, the survey results indicate that companies leveraging ITIL to improve enterprise IT execution are using the tool effectively, in sync with the best practices while also understanding the potential barriers to the execution of ITIL processes. However, the enterprise ITIL programs will still be at risk if organizations do not stay committed to an effective, ongoing strategy.

About Evergreen Systems

Evergreen Systems is a highly specialized technology consulting firm focused on helping complex global organizations simplify and optimize the way their IT organizations work. From strategic planning, to policy development, through execution, Evergreen makes sure that what gets planned, gets done.

Leaders in insurance, finance, healthcare and retail rely on Evergreen to address today’s major business challenges including: making ITIL and COBIT operable; understanding and organizing their IT assets for better planning and execution; developing automated, streamlined compliance processes and bringing them to life for maximum benefit; and managing complex enterprise change. Global 2000 organizations work with Evergreen for sound strategy, flawless execution and measurable results.

Contact:

Amy Mergler

Evergreen Systems, Inc.

571.262.0980

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