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GATHER.COM, HARVARD HEALTH AND LIFEMASTERS LAUNCH Unprecedented Access to the Most Current Medical Content by Harvard Doctors, Along with Peer-to-Peer Support BOSTON, Mass—July 10, 2007 —Gather.com™, the leader in social media for adults, Harvard Health Publications — a leading provider of health content from Harvard Medical School, and LifeMasters Supported SelfCare, Inc. — a leading provider of disease management programs, today announced the launch of the “Living With…™” series, featuring 35 health-specific online communities. Each community will provide members with unprecedented access to original content and interaction with physicians from Harvard Medical School, along with peer-to-peer support. As an active participant in the collaboration, LifeMasters is the first disease management organization to offer a robust online community support site to its participants and their families. “When people live with a chronic condition, they have a compelling need for information and contact,” said Tom Gerace, Founder & CEO, Gather.com. “We are leveraging LifeMasters’ expertise in managing chronic disease and Harvard’s physicians to provide a platform that allows people to engage in active online conversation not only with each other, but also with well-known medical experts.” Gather.com members and LifeMasters’ participants will have access to the latest medical news from Harvard Medical School doctors, along with the ability to join in online discussions with other people facing similar health challenges. Individuals will be able to learn more about their chronic conditions, treatment options and how to better manage their conditions. “We have long been committed to leveraging technology to facilitate communication among the various stakeholders in the healthcare community, and this partnership enables our program participants and their family members across the country to share their experiences with each other and to receive and share content and information that has been validated by Harvard-trained physicians,” said Christobel E. Selecky, president and chief executive officer, LifeMasters. “Motivating and supporting people with chronic conditions is a team effort and so far, disease and care management organizations have done a great job of involving health coaches, personal physicians, and family members and other caregivers. Now, for the first time, we will be able to harness the power of our program participants to support and help each other through this innovative platform.” “Our goal is to provide the most current practical, authoritative health information to help people living with chronic conditions to lead healthier lives,” said Anthony Komaroff, M.D., editor-in-chief and publisher at Harvard Health Publications. “The Living With…series is an innovative way for us to provide this information in a dynamic, supportive environment.” To be a part of the various communities and participate in conversations with others on the site, individuals register for a free Gather.com account. Members can then post comments on existing topics within each community group (e.g., Living with Diabetes), or start a new topic by publishing an article in the group. Prior to posting, the article is reviewed by Harvard Medical School physicians to ensure accuracy and quality. If it is accepted, it will post within the next 2-3 days. The first seven of the 35 health-specific communities launched today at the following URLs: http://diabetes.gather.com For more information on Gather, go to www.gather.com. About Gather.com About Harvard Medical School About LifeMasters Supported SelfCare
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Contacts: |
Barbara Gideon LifeMasters (650) 829-5287 bgideon@lifemasters.com |
