eCare Solutions, UW Milwaukee to study health web sites

MILWAUKEE—How and why Web users trust Internet sites to provide them with health maintenance information is the basis of a study being conducted by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. And Milwaukee-based eCare Solutions has been selected as the subject of the study, which aims to examine the factors influencing the use of health-oriented Web sites and what influences people to trust the information provided when making health-related decisions. The company was selected based on their eCareConnect Health Risk and Productivity Management System.

Dr. Mariam Zahedi, distinguished professor at the UWM School of Business Administration-MIS, will oversee the study. “This program is one of the first cooperative initiatives in the United States to evaluate the utilization and interaction of individuals with health-information providers,” Zahedi said.

eCareConnect was chosen, according to Zahedi, because it has specific features required by the study for their examination of health and fitness Web site adoption and trust.

Using Web sites that provide assessment, information and guidelines of health and fitness is believed to contribute to better health maintenance of a work force and help educate individuals in taking actions to prevent major health problems. “The results of this study could shed light on what makes people more receptive to use online advice for their health and fitness decisions” Zahedi said.

The study has chosen a number of businesses representative of the spectrum of employees throughout the country.

eCare Solutions is a health and productivity management company and the developer of the eCareConnect System. This system includes a personal health management program that enables individuals to assess their health, provides customized care management programs with its proprietary risk resolution guidelines, store medical records and communicate with health providers.