Eugene, OR (PRWEB) December 15, 2014
ORCAS (http://www.orcasinc.com), a mobile health research and development company, today announced a partnership with mHealth Technologies (http://www.mhealthtechnologies.co and http://www.mhealth.com.tr), developers of health and wellness technology for overseas markets, to deliver a mobile platform for the Turkish marketplace. The platform is based on ORCAS’s proprietary habit-forming engine (HFE), a user-driven system that prompts condition-specific mobile interventions for the prevention and management of high prevalence chronic conditions (such as hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and stress and depression), that compound health care problems and costs. The platform enables users in Turkey to pick a condition they want to address, then be taken through an intervention pathway that gradually and systematically promotes lasting behavior change.
Turkey is an ideal market for a self-guided health and wellness platform tailored to its user population, given the widespread use of smart phones and social media. ORCAS and mHealth Technologies will begin a staged roll-out of the platform by conducting tests of a Turkish version of BlipHub, a mobile intervention for hypertension and a component of the broader platform; the test will focus on usability (correct translations from English to Turkish, etc.), insuring that the infrastructure is in place (and data is secure), and that the clinical protocols are correct.
“We are extremely pleased to be in partnership with mHealth Technologies,” said ORCAS CEO, Michael Mulvihill, “as they share our vision of creating innovative and scientifically validated mobile health and wellness solutions for global markets. We are also aligned in our “whole person” approach; empowering the consumer with the right tools to improve their physical and emotional health.”
The platform will ultimately identify co-morbidities, and provide integrated, holistic intervention pathways. For instance, if a user is suffering from hypertension, a pathway can also address related conditions, such as depression and/or obesity.
"mHealth Technologies continues to investigate emerging technologies in the health and wellness space that are adaptable to overseas markets," said John Cannon, mHealth's CEO. "When we learned of the Orcas Behavior Modification Engine, we knew we found our competitive advantage in the marketplace. We believe this platform enables patients to effectively manage their chronic conditions, while encouraging user engagement and promoting new behaviors that lead to better health."
About ORCAS
ORCAS is a mobile health research and development company that applies extensive behavioral research to mobile self management interventions that help people manage their health and change their behavior in meaningful ways. The executive management team has extensive experience in the behavioral healthcare industry and ORCAS behavioral scientists have over 20 years of research experience running full clinical trials on web and mobile behavior change interventions.
With the rise of mobile technology and the Health 2.0 movement, ORCAS is poised to provide engaging solutions that create lasting improvements in health and wellness while reducing costs to healthcare organizations, employers, and consumers. For more, visit http://www.orcasinc.com.
About mHealth Technologies
mHealth Technologies develops and licenses software technology from best of class developers in the United States in the health and wellness space and converts that software to culturally appropriate products in foreign languages for those marketplaces. The products provide guidance and support to change behaviors in the areas of medication adherence, smoking cessation, weight loss, chronic disease management, and depression and stress management. The software further connects the patients and care givers with peers and support.
All products work on smart phone or tablet technology (Android, iPhone, iPad) and through traditional web browsers. Products have personalized messaging, encouragement, and educational content in the form of articles and videos.