CAMBRIDGE, MA, Jan. 24, 2006 – WorldCare Inc., which develops and distributes global health care services and solutions, including specialist and sub-specialist second opinion e-consultation, serious illness treatment plans, and clinical trial services, has signed a contract with Wellpoint Health Services, a Toronto-based corporate & family health services company, to provide expert second opinion e-consultation services for serious illness.These services enable patients to receive specialist input in collaboration with their local attending physician without the expense and anxiety of leaving home.
Such e-consultations will be rendered by some of America’s best academic medical centers: Duke University Health System, and Partners HealthCare System, which includes Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Dana-Farber/Partners CancerCare.
This unique service allows a Wellpoint member who may have developed a serious illness, such as cancer, heart disease, stroke, neuro-degenerative disease, or any life-threatening illness to make an informed decision about their treatment options. Utilizing encryption technology, following rigorous quality control and quality assurance protocols, Wellpoint physicians send a patient’s medical records, including medical imaging, laboratory reports, and history and physical to WorldCare’s Hub in Cambridge, Massachusetts. These medical records are then digitized and securely transmitted to the appropriate telemedicine centers of a provider institution for specialist and or sub-specialist physician review.
A written second opinion, including a confirmed diagnosis and recommended treatment plan, will be returned to a Wellpoint physician within four working days of the receipt of a complete set of medical records by WorldCare.
“WorldCare is pleased to announce this new contract with Wellpoint because it will enable Wellpoint members to have timely, affordable electronic access to specialists at the best hospitals for the evaluation of serious illness, including the confirmation of a diagnosis and the recommendation of a treatment plan,” stated Nasser Menhall, CEO, WordCare Inc. “With today’s encrypted and secure technology, no healthcare consumer should be deprived of timely e-access to high-quality healthcare at the time it may be needed most… namely upon the initial diagnosis of a serious illness,” concluded Menhall.
‘Wellpoint is also pleased to announce its agreement with WorldCare, as it enables us to provide a truly comprehensive suite of services to our clients,” stated Sanjeev Sharma, M.D., President & CEO, Wellpoint Health Services. “WorldCare’s service provides our members with seamless e-access to some of America’s best hospitals should our screening reveal the existence of a serious or complex disease,” continued Sharma. “Today, because of advances in information technology, none of our clients need to wait to secure an expert second opinion. Such timely intervention, offered through this partnership, will contribute to increasing optimal health-care decision-making and improving health-care outcomes should serious illness occur.”
About Wellpoint Health Services, www.wellpointhealthservices.com Wellpoint Health Services provides comprehensive medical screening and preventative healthcare. Wellpoint offers customized health and wellness programs empowering individuals to take a proactive approach to their health. Through multi-disciplinary clinical teams, Wellpoint tailors health programs to individual needs. Wellpoint’s extensive diagnostic resources provide opportunities for their members for early detection of serious illnesses. In addition to preventative screening, customized wellness programs include nutrition counseling, post-operative care when required, and international emergency and referral services.
