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OptumHealth Launches Consumer-Focused Health Information Web Site Built Upon Its Expertise in Serving 60 Million Americans

^{Published on 2008-12-01 07:58:41 - Market Wire}
 

GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--[ OptumHealth Inc ]., the health and wellness business of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH), today announced the launch of myOptumHealth.com, a free consumer health and wellness Web site designed to assist the 76 million Internet consumers who look for health information online each month.¹

"We are taking the unparalleled expertise we have in providing health and wellness services to 60 million Americans and putting it online. This is a first in our industry," said Scott Heimes, senior vice president of OptumHealth Consumer Solutions. "myOptumHealth.com also is unique in that it delivers clinically reviewed, easy-to-understand, actionable information — what you can do if you have a specific health-related symptom. And overall, the site reflects the best practices, clinical evidence and behavior change methodologies of OptumHealth's health and wellness management solutions."

While myOptumHealth.com is a free, public Web site, it also serves as a template for private health portals and consumer tools, including wellness coaching programs and incentive and communications services. OptumHealth is the largest publisher of private health portals and interactive health management solutions in the United States, managing more than 1,000 private health portals for employers, health plans and public sector entities.

Much of the myOptumHealth.com site features content that is produced by an editorial staff comprised of medical doctors, PhDs, registered dietitians and writers from a variety of well-respected health publications and Web sites. Topics focus on current health and wellness-oriented issues such as weight loss, nutrition, diabetes, parenting, women's health, men's health and seniors' health.

"Our content also is medically reviewed and vetted by clinicians through a strict process that includes a third-party medical advisory board, and follows leading evidence-based medicine guidelines," said Dr. Janet Bruno, medical director for OptumHealth Consumer Solutions, which operates myOptumHealth.com. "These guidelines ensure the content is gathered with scientific methods and used judiciously to present only the best evidence to people who may be making important health care decisions."

Additionally, myOptumHealth.com's wide range of content provides users access to the same high-quality medical information used by OptumHealth's care managers and wellness professionals, yet it is written in way that is easy for an average person to understand.

More about myOptumHealth.com Content

• [ Health Hubs ]— Content-specific sections provide several articles on the same topic. The hubs tap into more than 5,000 health and wellness-oriented articles — all produced and medically reviewed by OptumHealth. This feature makes it easy for consumers to find the most current and practical health and wellness information on topics related to gender, life-stage, health conditions and general well-being.
• [ Diseases & Conditions ]— Gives consumers quick access to a database of information on more than 3,600 diseases and conditions, including details on symptoms, causes, warning signs, self-care treatments and available medicines. Provided by A.D.A.M., the content is enhanced with 5,000 graphics and 750 videos that are organized in brief sections for quick comprehension.
• [ Tests & Procedures ]— From colonoscopies to LASIK, the site catalogues more than 200 medical tests and procedures, providing information on results, potential implications, associated risks and precautions. It serves as a helpful information resource for consumers, particularly when used prior to scheduling appointments.
• [ Drug Guide ]— With this tool, users can easily access more than 7,000 descriptions of prescription and over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements, and receive up-to-date information on FDA recalls, alerts, warnings and recent drug approvals.
• [ Health News ]— Consumers can quickly access the latest health and wellness news including FDA approvals, practical health tips from medical experts and health news that is updated several times during the day, integrated with relevant content throughout the site and stored in a searchable and comprehensive news archive.

myOptumHealth.com Tools

• [ Symptom Checker ]— An action-oriented, interactive tool to help people pinpoint potential conditions associated with their physical symptoms. It also offers self-care tips and prevention information.
• [ Find A Doctor ]— This tool allows people to search a proprietary database of 800,000 physicians to find a doctor by specialty or location. It is provided by OptumHealth's affiliate, Ingenix, a leading health technology and information provider.
• [ The Drug Interaction Calculator ]— Allows visitors to examine potential interactions between various drugs and dietary supplements.
• [ Body Guide ]— The Body Guide leads consumers on an informative and interactive virtual tour of the human body that includes trips through the nervous system and skeletal structure.
• [ Tools and Calculators ]— Interactive tools, such as the Body Mass Index (BMI) Calculator, Fertility Calculator and Heart Attack Risk Quiz, help users assess both their health and their family's health. Consumers can also test their knowledge on health topics such as cholesterol, breast cancer and nutrition.
• [ Personal Health Record (PHR) ]— myOptumHealth.com's free PHR allows people to store and maintain their comprehensive health history in a secure, central location.
• Medically Guided Search — Powered by Healthline, this tool enables consumers to refine their search by treatment, prevention, symptom and related conditions.

About OptumHealth

OptumHealth Inc. helps individuals navigate the health care system, finance their health care needs, and achieve their health and well-being goals. The company's personalized health advocacy and engagement programs tap a unique combination of capabilities that encompass care solutions, behavioral solutions, specialty benefits and financial services. Serving 60 million people, OptumHealth is one of the nation's largest health and wellness businesses, and is a UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) company. More information about OptumHealth can be found at [ www.OptumHealth.com ].

¹*Source: Nielsen//NetRatings, September 2008.