CareCheck.com AND extendedcare.com ANNOUNCE MULTI-YEAR STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

TULSA, Oklahoma, July 17, 2000 -- CareCheck.com, the premier source for comprehensive information and ratings of long-term care facilities and extendedcare.com, a leading online information resource for hospitals, extended-care providers and consumers recently announced a strategic partnership that will benefit the millions of Americans who are seeking quality long-term care for themselves or a loved one. Under the agreement, consumers who visit extendedcare.com will gain access to CareCheck.coms CareSearch, CareAssess, and CareAssure services.

Value-Added Services

"The combination of CareCheck.coms and extendedcare.coms decision support services presents a strong opportunity to enhance the value of both our services," said Scott Robinowitz, CareCheck.com President. "This partnership is unique because it presents an opportunity for CareCheck.com and extendedcare.com to raise the bar for quality of care delivered in long-term care facilities across the country."

"Through this relationship, extendedcare.com now can supplement the detailed listings in the extendedcare.com database by offering its users access to information about the quality of a facility or residence," said Bruce R. Bahn, extendedcare.coms Vice President of Business Development. "Together, the two companies can increasingly provide consumers with a deep understanding of the facts about a long-term care facility before they take the time to visit. While no set of facts can replace first-hand experience, extendedcare.com provides a perfect place to start."

The Empowered Consumer

This opportunity exists, in part, because of changes in the healthcare industrys power balance. "We have entered the era of the empowered consumer," said Robinowitz. "Consumers are doing their own research, and demanding access to nonbiased information and guidance prior to making healthcare choices of any consequence. CareCheck.com and extendedcare.com put the consumer in the drivers seat, allowing them to make more informed, confident long-term care choices. As consumers become more educated and ask prospective facilities smarter, more probing questions, the quality of care delivered in nursing homes and assisted- and independent-living residences across the country will improve."

As a trusted resource for both consumers and healthcare professionals, extendedcare.com educates users by connecting them to information from experts in all fields related to geriatric health and well-being. The Senior Health Library and Informed Living sections of the site empower consumers with knowledge before, during, and after choosing long-term care. Said Bahn: "CareCheck.coms services complement extendedcare.coms collection of expert information on extended-care and senior-health issues. We initiated this partnership in response to our users interest in having access to additional useful information, the kind that CareCheck.com uniquely provides."

About CareCheck.com

CareCheck.com is the nations premier provider of long-term care facility information and evaluation services, providing assessment and monitoring tools to help consumers make smarter decisions based on the quality of care a facility delivers to its residents. Two individuals, inspired by their own frustrating search for long-term care for their elderly parents, founded the company. Its mission is to enhance the quality of life for the elderly and to ensure peace of mind for their loved ones, by empowering them with factual, non-biased information, compassionate guidance, and continued support. CareCheck.com is based in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

About extendedcare.com

extendedcare.com is one of the first companies to offer Internet solutions and resources that connect hospitals and consumers with extended-care providers, including nursing homes, assisted-living and other senior-living residences, and home healthcare agencies. Founded by healthcare professionals, extendedcare.coms products and services improve and expedite the discharge-planning process for hospitals, enhance the admissions process for extended-care providers, and assist consumers in finding extended-care providers and information on senior-health issues. extendedcare.com is based in Northbrook, Illinois.
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