BOSTON, OCTOBER 21, 2009 - The Center for Connected Health, a division of Partners HealthCare, one of the nation's leading integrated health care delivery systems, today announced receipt of a $25,000 grant from the Verizon Foundation, to support the expansion of a new text messaging program to help keep at-risk pregnant women engaged in their health care and to provide ongoing prenatal and immediate post-natal support. This pilot program is designed to examine how motivational support and critical education can promote ongoing prenatal care. The announcement was made during the Connected Health Symposium taking place this week in Boston.
The Verizon Foundation grant will be used to examine the feasibility and acceptability of text messaging to offer health care services and improve participation within a population of patients who are at-risk for not receiving the recommended pre-natal care. The Center for Connected Health is developing several public health initiatives using text messaging, to help providers stay connected to patients during their care.
"The Verizon Foundation is supporting unique and important research in the delivery of quality healthcare, and we are honored to again be recognized by the Foundation for our work," said Joseph C. Kvedar, MD, Director, Center for Connected Health. "This funding will enable us to expand this innovative text messaging program to a larger patient population of at-risk pregnant women. The Center has been exploring the benefits of text messaging and we are excited about the possibilities that text messaging offers in helping patients stay engaged in their care."
Last year, the Center for Connected Health received a grant from the Verizon Foundation to support the ongoing development of its Connected Health Diabetes Program, a web-based remote monitoring program for diabetes patients at practices affiliated with Partners HealthCare, including those at Brigham and Women's and Massachusetts General Hospitals.
"The goal of the Verizon Foundation's Health and Safety initiative is to help increase safety, advance healthcare and improve quality of life for individuals and families in every community," said Donna Cupelo, Verizon Region President of New England. "We are proud to partner with the Center for Connected Health on this important program, to help improve prenatal care and outcomes for at-risk pregnant women."
About the Verizon Foundation
The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, supports the advancement of literacy and K-12 education through its free educational Web site, Thinkfinity.org, and fosters awareness and prevention of domestic violence. In 2008, the Verizon Foundation awarded more than $68 million in grants to nonprofit agencies in the U.S. and abroad. It also matched the charitable donations of Verizon employees and retirees, resulting in an additional $26 million in combined contributions to nonprofits. Through Verizon Volunteers, one of the nation's largest employee volunteer programs, Verizon employees and retirees have volunteered more than 3 million hours of community service since 2000. For more information on the foundation, visit www.verizonfoundation.org.
About the Center for Connected Health
The Center for Connected Health, a division of Partners HealthCare, is a leader in the use of technology to deliver quality patient care outside of the medical setting. Based in Boston, the Center for Connected Health is applying consumer technologies and online resources in innovative ways, to increase access and improve quality medical services and patient care. The Center for Connected Health also offers expert online second opinions and facilitates enhanced medical education and training through Internet technologies. Visit www.connected-health.org.
Boston-based Partners HealthCare is an integrated health system founded in 1994 by Brigham and Women's Hospital and Massachusetts General Hospital. In addition to its two academic medical centers, the Partners system also includes community and specialty hospitals, community health centers, a physician network, home health and long-term care services, and other health-related entities. Partners is one of the nation's leading biomedical research organizations and a principal teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School. Partners is a non-profit organization. Visit www.partners.org.