BERKELEY HEIGHTS, N.J., Aug. 22, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Authentidate Holding Corp. (Nasdaq: ADAT ), a provider of secure web-based software applications and telehealth products and services for healthcare organizations, announced today that it has started to enroll patients in its telehealth program for Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) patients.
In April 2013, the VA selected Authentidate as the sole-source provider to implement an HIV patient monitoring program at a VA Medical Center pilot site. Since then, Authentidate has customized its HIV program to meet the VA's needs and implemented the program for use by the VA. The pilot site has now begun to enroll patients in the program to help improve health outcomes and manage patient well-being. The pilot is planned for 30 days, after which Authentidate anticipates that the HIV telehealth program will be made available for VA HIV patients nationwide.
The VA operates the nation's largest integrated healthcare system, serving more than 8.3 million patients each year through a network of hospitals, clinics and long-term care facilities, and is the single largest provider of HIV care in the United States. The VA estimates that it provided care to more than 25,000 patients with HIV in 2011. Further, the VA estimates that only 20% of patients in the VA system have ever been tested for HIV, which is why the VA has been encouraging every veteran to get tested for HIV at least once.
Sunil Hazaray, Chief Commercial Officer at Authentidate Holding Corp. explained, "The CDC estimates that more than 1.1 million people in the United States are living with the HIV infection, and almost 1 in 5 (18.1%) are unaware of their infection. Authentidate's HIV monitoring solution is designed to improve the health and well-being of patients with HIV. Although we cannot guarantee the number of VA patients that will be enrolled in the program, we believe that it can help the affected patient population throughout the VA. The HIV program we are rolling out with the VA, along with our telehealth programs for monitoring other diseases, are available for use by customers outside of the VA as well. The HIV telehealth program will be provided to customers for a recurring, monthly subscription fee for each patient added to the program."
VA facilities throughout the United States already utilize Authentidate's Interactive Voice Response solution and its Electronic House Call vital signs monitoring device along with its web-based application to remotely monitor patients and enhance patient care. HIV is just one of many conditions that can be monitored using Authentidate's telehealth solutions. Telehealth programs are designed to improve overall patient health outcomes, reduce hospital readmissions and emergency hospital or doctor visits and have proven highly effective according to several independent studies.
Aside from remotely monitoring their patients' vital signs, clinicians use Authentidate's telehealth solutions to gather qualitative information about their patients' health, supplement care with in-person visits, and help improve patient compliance with care plans. Clinicians can review their patients' remote monitoring session results securely using Authentidate's web-based application and remotely manage or adjust their patients' care plans, medication reminders and related information. Clinicians can also use the web-based application to provide disease-specific education to their patients in real-time.
A telephone based Interactive Voice Response solution like the one used in the rollout for the VA's HIV patients, is a cost-effective form of telehealth because it does not require a dedicated monitoring device. Since most patients already have a home phone or cell phone and the HIV program doesn't require other peripherals, in most cases there will be no incremental equipment cost for the VA to add a patient to the HIV program. Authentidate is one of two vendors currently authorized to provide Interactive Voice Response health monitoring solutions in the VA's Care Coordination Home Telehealth program.
About Authentidate Holding Corp.
Authentidate Holding Corp. is a provider of secure web-based software applications and telehealth products and services that enable healthcare organizations to coordinate care for patients and enhance related administrative and clinical workflows. Authentidate's products and services enable healthcare organizations to increase revenues, reduce costs and enhance patient care by eliminating paper and manual work steps from clinical and administrative processes. Authentidate's telehealth solutions combine patient vital signs monitoring with a web application that streamlines patient care management. Delivered as Software as a Service (SaaS), customers only require an Internet connection and web browser to access our web-based applications thereby utilizing previous investments in systems and technology. The company's healthcare customers and users include leading homecare companies, health systems, physician groups and governmental entities. These organizations utilize the company's products and services to coordinate care for patients outside of acute-care.
For more information, visit the company website www.authentidate.com .
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934. When used in this release, the words "believe," "anticipate," "think," "intend," "plan," "will be," "expect," and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. Such statements regarding future events and/or the future financial performance of the company are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual events or the actual future results of the company to differ materially from any forward-looking statement. Such risks and uncertainties include, among other things, the availability of any needed financing, the company's ability to implement its business plan for various applications of its technologies, the impact of competition, the management of growth, and the other risks and uncertainties that may be detailed from time to time in the company's reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In light of the significant risks and uncertainties inherent in the forward-looking statements included herein, the inclusion of such statements should not be regarded as a representation by the company or any other person that the objectives and plans of the company will be achieved.
Authentidate and Inscrybe are registered trademarks of Authentidate Holding Corp. All other trade names are the property of their respective owners.
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