Published: September 03, 2010

Groundbreaking Harvard & Cloud Industries Health Workshop Proves "Game-Changer" for Andrews Institute and Baptist Health Care

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GULF BREEZE, Fla. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - "It is appropriate that today in Pensacola, Andrews Institute, the place where innovation of sports injuries has blossomed and Baptist Hospital, where the leadership service is renowned, that we release this first," said Professor John Donovan.*

1. A unique capability for every citizen to access the best information for insuring their and their loved ones sports health.

2. A unique process by which we piloted this entire capability in one week (reference Professor Donovan.com "A Recipe for Saving America" )

3. Advanced technologies including security in the Cloud (reference Professor Donovan.com - Patent Section)

According to Dr. Donovan*, "None of this would have been possible without the team. Thank you Dr. Andrews and most importantly, thanks to your doctors, nurses, and staff for the respect and innovation you have given to us."

An innovative strategic planning workshop at Harvard University led by Cloud Industries Health is creating revolutionary improvements for The Andrews Institute and its partner, Baptist Health Care Pensacola. The organizations will implement a plan to deliver the institute's cutting-edge sports medical knowledge to a world market through Web portals for citizens and medical professionals, coach training, and educational seminars using advanced technologies.

The workshop also yielded new ideas about new and better ways to monetize Andrews' and Baptist's services that are provided over the Internet. The changes are expected to significantly improve the financial strength and long-term sustainability of both institutions.

In yet another outgrowth of the workshop, Harvard Medical School Professor and Economist Thomas McGuire and Professor John Donovan*, MIT will undertake a research project to determine if quick, accessible medical care, like the kind delivered through the Andrews Institute's free Saturday sports clinics, significantly offsets emergency room visits and costs and improves patient outcomes. The results of that research may pave the way for Andrews Institute to win approval for health plan reimbursement for those services and export the Saturday morning clinic model around the country and across the globe.

The workshop was built on a process pioneered by renowned MIT Professor John Donovan*, Chairman and CEO of Cloud Industries Health. According to Dr. Donovan, "Every process has what I like to call 'lazy assets' - assets organizations have that could deliver value but currently are not."

"Too many of America's healthcare resources are devoted to the process and not the patient," according to Al Stubblefield, CEO of Baptist Health Care Pensacola. "The information from Harvard and Cloud Industries is helping us take a scalpel to the process and eliminating the operating inefficiencies. With this system, once the patient's information is in the system, it never has to be entered again and can be shared with other systems (with the patient's permission) should the patient require emergency care away from home."

A huge additional benefit will be the power of online education. Through the Andrews Citizen's Portal, created and operated by Cloud Industries, anyone will be able to research thousands of medical topics, view pertinent online videos, and even see and hear messages about a procedure they might be undergoing. "The possibilities just go on and on," explains Dr. Sunil Gupta*, surgeon and Chairman of the Board at the Andrews ASC. "Using cloud technology and teaming with existing Health Information Exchanges, we will exceed and improve on the requirements of the newly enacted health reform law. Everyone benefits from this."

The Institute's first initiative will focus on reducing sports injuries among young athletes. A comprehensive educational campaign of sports information will be pushed to every athletic market through the Andrews Institute portal and the treatment and rehabilitation of young athletes coming through the Institute will provide research data as the project progresses.

According to Dr. James Andrews, founder of the Andrews Institute, the goal is simple. "I want to be put out of business! I want nothing less than the elimination of the epidemic of sports injuries currently ravaging our young men and women. This is a revolutionary way of getting there."

"This was a historic moment," said Kathy Delaney-Smith, Harvard Women's Basketball Team Head Coach. "I've been waiting throughout my 40 years of coaching to see this capability that will help young female athletes, their coaches, and their parents stay healthier." Further, "girls are being plagued by sports injuries. This type of instruction and education could stop this epidemic."

*Professor John Donovan served as a tenured Professor at MIT in Management and Electrical Engineering. Also, he has served as a Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at Tufts School of Medicine, founded 28 companies, and was an advisor to three Presidents.

*Sunil Gupta, MD is an ophthalmologist, specializing in retinal surgery.

To view and download images follow this link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/44971152@N05/.