Internet As A Healthcare Tool

Saturday, March 1, 2003

TRSINSSVIsey Popular Prescription: The Internet As A Healthcare Tool (NAPSA)—An estimated 73 million American adults have used the Internet to prepare for doctor’s visits, research prescrip- tion drugs and explore new ways to control their weight, according to a recent survey from Pew Inter- net, an independent organization that researches the impact of the Internet on society. The survey also reported that Internet users between the ages of 50 and 64 were more likely than other age groups to have gone online for health information. For the 17 million Americans with diabetes (many of whom fall into that 50-to-64 age group), the Internet is also a place where they can access health-related informa- tion and download software programs that can help them, and their healthcare providers, better The software offers easy-toread charts that help people with diabetes monitor blood sugar levels in relation to everyday activities. software lets people download their personal diabetes information from people need to record and manage on a daily basis. In the past, their blood sugar meter to their computer and organizes the information into easy-to-read charts and graphs. These visuals can help users identify trends and problem areas that show the impact of individual actions on blood sugar levels and help people with diabetes make better- ommended that people with diabetes keep a daily logbook of not only their blood sugar levels, but better blood sugar control, the key managetheir disease. Software programs and the Internet are particularly useful in diabetes management because of the amount of information that healthcare professionals have rec- also the activities that can affect those levels, including information about their medication, exercise, and what theyeat. Unfortunately, recording this much information can be timeconsuming and people mayfind it difficult to spot patterns or problem areas just by looking at individual entries in a paper logbook. That’s where software programs can help people with diabetes make sense of seemingly random bits of information and help them make better choices to manage their disease. One of the newest programs available through the Internet via download is OneTouch” Diabetes Management Software. This new informed daily choices about their medication, food and exercise. Better choices can, in turn, lead to to minimizing or preventing seri- ous diabetes-related complications, like blindness, kidney failure and amputation. “With tools like OneTouch Soft- ware, people now havetheability to use their home computer as a personal healthcare tool to visually track key factors in their dia- betes management,” said Donald K. Zettervall, Registered Pharmacist, Certified Diabetes Educator, and Director of the Diabetes Center, Old Saybrook, CT. OneTouch” Software is available for download at no charge from www.LifeScan.com. The software can also be purchased on CD-ROM by calling 1-800-3827226.

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