MADISON, Wisc., Nov. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Sonic Foundry, Inc. (NASDAQ:SOFO) , a leader in automated rich media communications technology, today announced that Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) has expanded its use of the Mediasite(TM) web communications system from providing online seminars to the local medical community to delivering multimedia information statewide to every health professional and resident in the state of West Virginia.
As a largely rural state with the second highest diabetes rate in the United States, and one of the highest obesity rates, CAMC needed to provide convenient, online resources to both physicians and patients. More than 60 percent of the population of West Virginia is afflicted with either Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes. In 2002, CAMC began using Mediasite to launch its Health e-Classroom, an online repository of rich media presentations geared toward consumers. The Center’s staff saw immediate benefits, including increased access to medical knowledge, and began to explore other ways Mediasite could be used to improve the quality of care each patient receives.
Mediasite is a transformational communication medium for delivering critical information and sharing knowledge. The Mediasite webcasting and content management system automates the capture and delivery of presentations and lectures via the web.
“Studies have shown that because diabetes is a patient-controlled disease, patient education can have a dramatic impact on treatment costs as patients learn to take better care of themselves and the disease stabilizes,” said Doug Young, media network specialist at Charleston Area Medical Center. “We wanted to offer an easily accessible source of information on the latest diagnoses and treatments to help combat this growing problem for patients and the physicians who treat them across every region in our state.”
To improve the quality of training and continuing education programs, the Center created a web site www.camcinstitute.org devoted to educating West Virginia students, faculty, doctors and health professionals about the latest treatment and care options for Diabetes, as well as Palliative Care, Pain Management and Osteoporosis. Using Mediasite, CAMC experts create multimedia presentations for more than 7,000 rural family physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants, regardless of location, to view live and on-demand. Because the online presentations have been approved by the American Coalition of Medical Education (ACCME), health professionals can now receive their requisite continuing education credits by watching at their convenience without travel or scheduling conflicts.
“We are changing the paradigm of how medical education is being delivered,” Young said. “The ACCME is able to easily review our Mediasite presentations to see first-hand how we are delivering content. Mediasite is making a significant difference in helping treat debilitating diseases like diabetes and ensuring medical professionals in remote areas are up-to-speed on all the latest advancements in their profession.”
“Charleston Area Medical Center is a leader in embracing health information technology to improve professional education and patient care,” said Rimas Buinevicius, chairman and CEO of Sonic Foundry. “The Center is part of a growing movement among our Mediasite customers to embrace new approaches for sharing medical information and reach new audiences with significant results. We are proud to be their partners in providing online communication tools for continuing medical education that hold the potential to truly transform the quality of health care in their region.”
About Charleston Area Medical Center
Established in 1972, the Charleston Area Medical Center (CAMC) is a multiple hospital health system serving southern West Virginia. It features the premiere medical teaching facility in the state and has one of the top heart and diabetes programs in the nation. The Center is West Virginia’s largest and most advanced medical center with more than 5,000 employees. As the flagship of the CAMC Health System, CAMC is a non-profit, 893-bed, regional referral and academic medical center. CAMC has three Charleston locations: General Hospital, Memorial Hospital and Women and Children’s Hospital.
About Sonic Foundry(R), Inc.
Founded in 1991, Sonic Foundry (NASDAQ:SOFO) is a technology leader in the emerging rich media communications marketplace, providing enterprise solutions and services that link an information-driven world. Sonic Foundry is changing the way organizations communicate via the web and how people around the globe receive vital information needed for work, professional advancement, safety and education. The company’s integrated webcasting and web presentation solutions are trusted by Fortune 500 companies, education institutions and government agencies for a variety of critical communication needs. Sonic Foundry is based in Madison, Wis. For more information about Sonic Foundry, visit www.sonicfoundry.com.
