Greetings All :) I trust everyone's tryptophan levels are at an appropriate holiday "high" (it's MONDAY..... WAKE UP!!!) and that your refrigerators are bulging with leftovers. I received this mailing this morning and wanted to pass it on because it may be of some interest to list members Mary Arnold *************************************************************** BLUE BELL, Pa., Dec. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- InteliHealth, Inc., a joint venture formed by Aetna U.S. Healthcare and Johns Hopkins, has teamed with the PointCast Network(TM), Intelligent Information Incorporated, and AccuWeather(R) to launch state-of-the-art products which provide consumers with access to timely health information. InteliHealth has also signed an agreement to provide CompuServe with content for its interactive health service. The PointCast Network(TM) InteliHealth has developed a health channel with The PointCast Network, the leader in broadcast news via the Internet. "One of the fundamental goals of creating InteliHealth was to provide consumers with access to comprehensive yet understandable health care information," said Thomas Durovsik, president of InteliHealth. "Through the PointCast Network, consumers can customize the health information they want, and have timely information readily available." Health categories have been organized topically (general health, women's health, men's health, physical fitness and air quality) to allow consumers to easily access the health information they desire. Consumers will also be able to click through to InteliHealth's soon-to-be-launched World Wide Web site from the PointCast program. Intelligent Information Incorporated (III) InteliHealth has teamed with III to provide consumers with customized health content through alphanumeric pagers, PCS handsets, personal digital assistants (PDAs), laptop/palmtop computers and other wireless devices. "Providing compelling health information to end-users of wireless devices is a commitment we've made at Intelligent Information Incorporated," said Stephen G. Maloney, president of III. "The inclusion of Johns Hopkins health content obtained through the InteliHealth relationship gives us a truly significant source of meaningful information to help us meet that goal." The relationship with III gives InteliHealth access to the dynamic wireless information services industry, currently estimated at more than 40,000,000 users. Consumers will now be able to receive timely health headlines from InteliHealth's news desk on their alphanumeric pagers through a new service from Panasonic and Axcess Global. InteliHealth and III developed this service, which is currently available in retail stores in 11 western states with nationwide service planned. AccuWeather InteliHealth and AccuWeather, Inc. have co-developed national reports for pollen and pollution levels on a daily basis that are currently available to consumers via The PointCast Network, as well as through InteliHealth's Web site. Consumers will be able to access pollen and pollution data for 50 individual cities across the United States. "AccuWeather has pioneered many products and services designed to meet the public's need for precise, accurate and timely information," commented Dr. Joel N. Myers, AccuWeather president and founder. "We are very pleased to make this valuable health information available to the public as part of the team of other innovative leaders such as InteliHealth, PointCast, Panasonic and III." Healthy Home(TM) Catalog The Healthy Home catalog was developed by InteliHealth for consumers looking for high-quality products for specific health conditions. InteliHealth recently mailed over 400,000 copies of the first issue of the catalog, which focused primarily on asthma and allergies. The products available through the current catalog assist with reduction of allergy and asthma symptoms, as well as promote a cleaner, healthier home. "This catalog specifically addresses the needs of consumers with allergies and asthma by focusing on products that can improve health conditions in individual households through improved air and water quality, and a reduction in allergen levels such as dust mites, pet hair and mold," said Joel Kahn, MD, chief medical officer of InteliHealth. InteliHealth will continue to provide products in upcoming issues of its consumer-oriented catalog that will focus on the health needs of consumers. Catalog issues will cover a range of health-related topics from sports medicine to stress and anxiety. CompuServe InteliHealth has signed an agreement with CompuServe to provide an interactive health service to the more than 4 million global CompuServe users, scheduled to begin in January 1997. Background Formed in early 1996 as a unique enterprise between managed care and academic medicine, InteliHealth is a joint venture between U.S. Healthcare(R), now Aetna U.S. Healthcare(TM) , and Johns Hopkins to distribute multi-media consumer health information. Johns Hopkins is one of the nation's oldest and best known academic medical centers. Based on a 44-acre campus in downtown Baltimore, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions consist of the 107-year-old Johns Hopkins Hospital, consistently ranked one of the best in the nation, along with three health-related divisions of The Johns Hopkins University -- the schools of medicine, nursing and public health. Hopkins' faculty annually receive more biomedical research support from the federal government than the faculty at any other university. In addition to Hopkins Hospital, The Johns Hopkins Health System includes Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, along with satellite clinics, physician networks, and a home care service. InteliHealth provides health information to consumers in a variety of formats ranging from its soon-to-be-launched Web site on the Internet, to pager/wireless systems, computer screen-saver programs, and a consumer health catalog, which features condition-specific products to consumers. InteliHealth also licenses customized medical content to a variety of business partners, ranging from on-line services, corporate Web sites and media companies. Johns Hopkins is the principal authority behind the content InteliHealth distributes. SOURCE InteliHealth, Inc. CO: U.S. Healthcare; InteliHealth, Inc.; PointCast Network(TM); Intelligent Information Incorporated; AccuWeather(R); Johns Hopkins ST: Pennsylvania IN: HEA SU: PDT