Medical Animatics’ Prescription for Health Care Reform: 3D Animated Patient Education

Oct. 27, 2009 - PRLog -- Indianapolis, Ind. — Bariatric surgery is a weight loss solution that can enable morbidly obese patients to improve their quality of life. But it’s important that patients understand what to expect from their procedure and the commitment they’ll have to make to change their lifestyle. Medical Animatics offers bariatric surgeons and hospitals a first-of-its-kind online patient-centered education and informed consent application that gives bariatric patients the tools and education they need to begin a new chapter in life.

Weight-loss surgery is a proven safe and effective treatment option for those affected by morbid obesity. The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) estimates 205,000 people with morbid obesity in the U.S. had bariatric surgery in 2007. However, one of the most important steps in weight loss surgery is making sure that patients understand the benefits, risks and follow-up care.

Medical Animatics has developed an easy-to-use program to help patients understand the process. Using HD-quality 3D animation, video with narration and supportive captioning, MyInformedChoice® guides patients step-by-step through the complete bariatric process and illustration of surgical procedures. Patients have unlimited access to the program using any Internet connection and are encouraged to share the information with their family and friends. MyInformedChoice offers informational modules on Roux-n-Y, gastric banding or sleeve procedures. Patients learn about the digestive organs and normal digestive process, preoperative comorbidities, postoperative weight loss process, short- and long-term complications and postoperative nutritional needs. In addition, patients learn about mental preparedness and postoperative support strategies. The interactive quiz helps make sure patients understand the key concepts.

“In this day of health care reform, patients must become more informed consumers of health and wellness services. MyInformedChoice gets patients more involved in their treatment,” said Harlon Wilson, President & CEO of Medical Animatics. Reviewing the videos at home gives patients a chance to really get familiar with the content prior to surgery. Bundling the information, interactive knowledge check and the informed consent process within the same program gives nurse educators 50 percent more time to interact with patients.

“We are collaborating with health care professionals nationally to rapidly deploy innovative technologies to empower their patients to become better informed about surgery options,” said Wilson. MyInformedChoice is delivering exceptional results for several local bariatric programs including St. Francis Bariatric Center, Community Bariatrics, and St. Vincent Weight Loss Surgery Center of Excellence. The MyInformedChoice product is also a favorite with hospitals across the nation because it saving time, reducing costs and empowering patients. To further demonstrate its commitment to improving bariatric surgery patient care, Medical Animatics participates in Surgical Review Corporation’s (SRC) Value for Excellence (VforE) program and offers free patient education videos to ASMBS Bariatric Surgery Centers of Excellence (COE) throughout the U.S.

“Medical Animatics consistently receives compliments from hospitals who tell us patients describe the program as the most comprehensive education they’ve received.” Likewise, surgeons appreciate the standardization MyInformedChoice brings to their education program. Nurses and nutritionists value the improved communications they share with patients who enter treatment with a greater understanding about the overall procedures,” said Wilson.

“When the day is done, MyInformedChoice is demonstrating exceptional results. We believe that sophisticated technology is a key component in reforming health care because the results show it is helping patients to better understand what’s happening with their care, it saving hospitals time and expense in educating patients while also improving the quality of time caregivers have with patients, and it reduces malpractice risks by putting patients in the driver’s seat of their own education and decisions about care.”

Health care professionals can learn more about MyInformedChoice by visiting http://www.myinformedchoice.com. Potential patients can view information about weight loss surgeries at http://bariatricmedia.com/patient.php.

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About Medical Animatics:
Medical Animatics is a multimedia technology firm specializing in the production of high-end 3D-animation, video, medical websites, and custom application development for medical, health education, life sciences, and sports performance enhancement industries. Medical Animatics’ surgical animation and state-of-the-art video production can be viewed in multimedia and web-based training products for patient education and electronic informed consent, in corporate training, distance education programming, public health education programming, and is used in Olympic sports performance enhancement training programs. For more information, visit http://www.medicalanimatics.com or call (877) 284-2811.