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News Release: Consorta Contracts for Patient Self Care Training System Offers Proven Solution to Reduce Readmissions

Rolling Meadows, Ill., May 12, 2004 - Consorta, a leading group purchasing and resource management organization for the health care industry, has contracted with Careguide Systems, Inc., a certified woman-owned business in Gurnee, Ill., to provide Consorta's member hospitals with self care training kits for patients. Careguide training products are already in use by Consorta members in Baltimore, Md.; Aurora, Ill.; Lexington, Ky.; and Elgin, Ill.

Careguide uses a patent-pending process to develop self care training materials from the patients' perspective. The company uses the interactive techniques of ethnography to uncover details about patient priorities, vocabularies, experiences and attitudes towards self care. Those insights enable Careguide to transform clinical information into step-by-step instructions that are easy for patients to understand and follow. Careguide's self care kits also include helpful photos, supplies and checklists that assist hospitals in meeting JCAHO standards.

"Patients are willing and able to do far more of their own self care than the health care industry has yet seen," says Shirley Grey, RN, MSN, vice president of Careguide. "Both the procedural and the lifestyle modules lead to remarkable outcomes and sustained lifestyle changes."

In eight comparison studies, hospitals pitted their existing self care education materials against Careguide materials with identical clinical content. In every case, Careguide's dramatically different instructional design achieved double-digit improvements in reducing returns to the emergency room, readmissions and length of stay on readmission. Patient satisfaction scores tripled with Careguide's products, and standardization of discharge procedures reduced inventory shrinkage and improved restocking efficiency.

Careguide modules are available for both surgical and medical conditions. "We're pleased to offer our members this new innovative product that impacts patient care quality and reduces readmission," said Patricia Hammell, Director, Medical/Surgical for Consorta.
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Contact
Sheila Reed, Director, Corporate Communications
Consorta, Inc. sreed@consorta.com
847-255-6990

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News Release: Consorta Contracts for Patient Self Care Training System Offers Proven Solution to Reduce Readmissions