CLEVELAND, Oct. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- The Cleveland Clinic’s online e-health services program, e-Cleveland Clinic, has received $399,830 to study the effectiveness of Web-based technology in helping people with diabetes to control their disease. The Cleveland Clinic is one of six institutions across the country receiving funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to research the potential of e-technologies in managing chronic illnesses.
The e-Cleveland Clinic study will determine whether patient access to electronic medical records can help diabetics manage their condition more effectively. A Web portal will allow patients to enter information, such as home glucometer readings, that will become part of their permanent medical record. These entries will automatically generate alert messages to patients if necessary. The study will utilize the existing electronic medical record infrastructure at The Cleveland Clinic. Because some patients are more Web- savvy than others, the research also will test interventions that may make those with less computer experience more willing to use the service regularly.
“Very little research has been done so far on determining how effective health information technology programs are for people with chronic diseases,” said C. Martin Harris, M.D., chief information officer of The Cleveland Clinic and executive director of e-Cleveland Clinic. “We’re eager to add this service to our electronic medical records system to see whether it can really help patients take control of their healthcare and better manage their diabetes.”
Diabetes affects more than 18 million Americans, is a risk factor for cardiac disease and stroke, and is the most common cause of end-stage kidney disease among U.S. adults. Direct medical costs of diabetes are estimated at $132 billion annually in the United States, with another $40 billion in costs related to lost productivity.
e-Cleveland Clinic, http://www.eclevelandclinic.org/ , is an extension of The Cleveland Clinic’s 80-year role as one of America’s most respected referral institutions. Using the Internet as a tool, e-Cleveland Clinic provides patients with online second opinions for life-threatening or life- altering diagnoses. e-Cleveland Clinic also provides health news and health information to patients regardless of their location, eliminating the time and expense of travel. e-Cleveland Clinic currently offers second opinions for more than 300 diagnoses, including the fields of cancer, heart disease, digestive disorders and urologic problems.
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation, located in Cleveland, Ohio, is a not-for- profit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. The Cleveland Clinic was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Approximately 1,200 full-time salaried physicians at The Cleveland Clinic and Cleveland Clinic Florida represent more than 100 medical specialties and subspecialties. In 2003, patients came for treatment from every state and nearly 90 countries. The Cleveland Clinic website address is http://www.clevelandclinic.org/ .
The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
CONTACT: Michelle Bolek, +1-216-444-0333, or Cole Hatcher,+1-216-445-1991, both of The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
