Wellness & Prevention Resource Center

Connected health programs can facilitate patient self-management and encourage consumers to take a more active role in their health. Real-time access to personal health data and targeted patient education encourages healthy lifestyle decisions and wellness efforts.  Patient self-management programs, utilizing connected health technologies, are being applied to a number of mounting health crises, including obesity, hypertension and diabetes.

Center for Connected Health Models of Care

StepUp: Virtual Coach

This randomized controlled trial measured the effect of personalized feedback and motivational coaching, via the Virtual Coach computer avatar, on adherence to an activity regime.

BeFit Forever

BeFit Forever combines the use of activity monitoring ‘wearables’ and Internet-based resources, such as reporting of weekly exercise and food logs, activity charts, incentives, and educational content and resources.

1 Comment

Center for Connected Health Models of Care

StepUp: Virtual Coach

This randomized controlled trial measured the effect of personalized feedback and motivational coaching, via the Virtual Coach computer avatar, on adherence to an activity regime.

BeFit Forever

BeFit Forever combines the use of activity monitoring ‘wearables’ and Internet-based resources, such as reporting of weekly exercise and food logs, activity charts, incentives, and educational content and resources.

1 Comment

Research Materials & External Resources

Comparison of strategies for sustaining weight loss: the weight loss maintenance randomized controlled trial

This study found that brief personal counseling and web-based intervention strategies offer the best hope in keeping weight off over three years.

March 2008 | Svetkey LP et al.

Promoting physical activity through hand-held computer technology

Results from this first-generation study indicate that hand-held computers may be effective tools for increasing initial physical activity levels among underactive adults.

February 2008 | King AC, Ahn DK, Oliveira BM, Atienza AA, Castro CM, Gardner CD

A Review of eHealth Interventions for Physical Activity and Dietary Behavior Change

A review of 86 eHealth intervention studies for adults and children that targeted behavior change for physical activity, healthy eating, or both behaviors.

October 2007 | Norman GJ, Zabinski MF, Adams MA, Rosenberg DE, Yaroch AL, Atienza AA

Medical Self-Care Savings

An American Institute for Preventive Medicine White Paper

2007 | American Institute for Preventive Medicine

Web-based weight management programs in an integrated health care setting: a randomized, controlled trial

The authors assessed the efficacy of a Web-based tailored behavioral weight management program compared with Web-based information-only weight management materials.

February 2006 | Rothert K, Strecher VJ, Doyle LA, Caplan WM, Joyce JS, Jimison HB, Karm LM, Mims AD, Roth MA

A handheld animated advisor for physical activity promotion

The authors have developed an animated PDA-based advisor that can engage sedentary adults in dialogues about their physical activity throughout the day.

January 2006 | Bickmore TW, Gruber A, Intille S, Mauer D

Effect of internet support on the long-term maintenance of weight loss

Participants assigned to an internet-based weight maintenance program sustained comparable weight loss over 18 months compared with individuals who continued to meet face-to-face.

February 2004 | Harvey-Berino J, Pintauro S, Buzzell P, Gold EC

Research Materials & External Resources

Comparison of strategies for sustaining weight loss: the weight loss maintenance randomized controlled trial

This study found that brief personal counseling and web-based intervention strategies offer the best hope in keeping weight off over three years.

March 2008 | Svetkey LP et al.

Promoting physical activity through hand-held computer technology

Results from this first-generation study indicate that hand-held computers may be effective tools for increasing initial physical activity levels among underactive adults.

February 2008 | King AC, Ahn DK, Oliveira BM, Atienza AA, Castro CM, Gardner CD

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News & Articles Show Less

Dieting for dollars? More US employees trying itAt least a third of U.S. companies offer financial incentives, or are planning to introduce them, to get their employees to lose weight or get healthier in other ways.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010 | Boston Globe
HopSkipConnect: Everyone, everyday, every way“Healthy behavior. Everyone. Everyday. Everyway.” That’s the ambitious mantra that the Center for Connected Health’s new launch, HopSkipConnect has adopted as its company’s mandate, according to CEO Rick Lee during a presentation at the Wireless Life-Sciences Alliance event in La Jolla, California.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010 | mobihealthnews
Employers consider wearable wellness techThe recent health reform legislation has not provided any short term cost relievers for employers, according to a BusinessWeek report that highlights the growing importance of employee wellness programs to bend the so-called cost curve for healthcare.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010 | mobihealthnews
Connected health offerings aim to shake up health-care industryInsurers and doctors have had their say on Capitol Hill. But Dr. Joe Kvedar wants to put another interest group in the driver’s seat of health-care reform: IT executives and entrepreneurs.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010 | Mass High Tech
Microsoft E-health Research Taps Xbox, Mobile PhonesMicrosoft is researching how gadgets like the company's Xbox game machine, surface computers and accelerometers in mobile phones could be used to improve health care.
Monday, February 8, 2010 | PCWorld
Getting Fit With 2 Bits of HelpTwo new tiny wearable motion sensors are on the loose, backed by Web sites that graph the collected data on daily activity for your motivational pleasure.
Thursday, December 17, 2009 | The New York Times
Your weight, announced daily to your Twitter followersThe WiFi Body Scale from Withings not only charts the ups and downs of your body mass index on a password-protected Web site, but it can send out info about your morning weigh-in to all your followers on Twitter.
Monday, December 14, 2009 | The Boston Globe
The Potential of Remote Health Monitoring at WorkThe Center for Connected Health has been creating modules that employers can offer to workers who have a chronic condition that bears close watching but who report to work each day and do the things that need to be done.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009 | Harvard Business Review
Digital games gain traction for improving healthDigital games are one of the latest tools being used to improve health outcomes, says one expert.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009 | Healthcare IT News
New CDC Web Site Helps Businesses Address Employee ObesityThe CDC has launched a Web site to help businesses tackle the nation's fast-growing obesity crisis.
Friday, June 26, 2009 | HealthLeaders Media
Employees Like Wellness Programs, but Don't Want Their Wages Tied to Them While most employees at larger companies are familiar with wellness programs offered by their or other employers, they have mixed feelings when it comes to how incentives should be used to spur employee participation.
Thursday, June 11, 2009 | AIS Health.com
Physician Internet Use Is Growing Rapidly, but Mobile Is the Trend to WatchHealth plans that reach out to their members on their terms using tools that reach them wherever they happen to be with tailored, focused messages stand the best chance of success. And one effective way to do this is with cell phones and other mobile devices.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009 | Michael Carbine
Online Records Get Patients Involved in Care Large managed-care groups like Kaiser Permanente and Group Health Cooperative are increasingly using electronic medical-record systems to help solve the age-old problem of getting patients to take better care of themselves.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009 | Laura Landro
At Wal-Mart, a Health-Care TurnaroundThe company has also put into practice many of the innovations that experts say will lead to higher-quality, more efficient care. Using its high-tech marketing savvy, Wal-Mart has introduced digital records, partnered with prestigious organizations such as the Mayo Clinic, and begun targeting costly health problems.
Friday, February 13, 2009 | The Washington Post
Center for Connected Health to Launch Disease-Monitoring System, Mulls Commercial SpinoffThe Center for Connected Health is launching a Web-based service so employers can help their workers keep their high blood pressure in check. The service could help reduce thousands of fatal strokes and heart attacks in the U.S. caused by high blood pressure every year.
Thursday, February 12, 2009 | Xconomy
Two Blues Plans Build Obesity Disease Management Programs for Youth and AdultsTwo Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans launched obesity disease management (DM) programs in an effort to intervene early with patients at risk of comorbidities stemming from being overweight.
Thursday, January 15, 2009 | AIS Health.com
Study: Online Care May Reduce Healthcare CostsResults of a study released today found that the use of online care for certain prescribed circumstances may result in first-dollar financial savings for employer-sponsored health plans.
Thursday, September 25, 2008 | Government Technology
E-health programs result in lower premiums for companies, better care for employeesCisco Systems reports that participating in a pilot program that provides its employees with online health care tools has cut health care costs and increased workers' productivity. Experts say Cisco's results could prompt other firms to follow suit.
Friday, August 8, 2008 | Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal
Few Companies Address Employees' Obesity Despite Increasing CostNationwide, companies spend $45 billion annually related to employees' obesity, but few firms are addressing workplace obesity. Studies have shown that incentives programs, such health club discounts and reduced health insurance premiums, can encourage healthier lifestyles.
Sunday, June 22, 2008 | New York Times
Patients Turn to Online Therapy Sessions as Easy AlternativeA growing number of patients are turning to online psychological therapy via instant messaging, e-mail and videoconferencing as a convenient, comfortable alternative to face-to-face therapy sessions.
Monday, June 16, 2008 | iHealthBeat
Web service Limeade addresses health, wellness at companiesWeb-based program Limeade allows companies to better engage employees in health assessment programs by widening the focus to include lifestyle, happiness and workplace issues.
Monday, April 14, 2008 | Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Wellness works: Comprehensive program brings modest ROIA recent study of workers at health insurer Highmark, Inc., shows that a comprehensive employee wellness program results in a positive ROI.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008 | Disease Management Advisor
Online health programmes in the workplaceFor a growing number of UK organisations, online well­being programmes are proving a cost-effective way of getting the healthy living message across to staff.
Friday, February 29, 2008 | PersonnelToday.com
School project aims for healthier studentsStudents are participating in Kids Connect, a telehealth program from Oneonta, N.Y.-based At Home Care, that was developed to see if changes in eating habits and activity levels can improve student health.
Monday, January 21, 2008 | The Daily Star
Wellness incentives engage Americans in their healthcareMember engagement is one of the toughest challenges for plans, employers and physicians.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008 | Managed Healthcare Executive
Smart clothes to monitor healthMonday, June 11, 2007 | BBC NewsEmployers reach large populations with progressive DM programsDisease management and prevention is sorely needed, but it's been a struggle to change the behaviors of large groups of people. A number of programs are finding success using non-traditional methods.
Friday, June 1, 2007 | Managed Healthcare Executive
Piloting a virtual health care helperPartners Healthcare System to run trials of weight-loss coach 'Laura'
Friday, April 6, 2007 | Mass High Tech
 

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