ORLANDO, Fla., Jan. 20, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- LifeLearn Inc., a company devoted to mobilizing knowledge in the animal health industry, and VetFolio, a subscription-based platform of professional development resources for veterinary professionals, today announced a collaboration to make VetFolio educational content available through the LifeLearn Sofie™ cognitive computing application, which is powered by IBM Watson. The announcement was made at the North American Veterinary Community Conference 2015 in Orlando, Fla.
Presented as a joint partnership between the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), VetFolio contains a vast amount of clinical and professional development information such as RACE-approved continuing education sessions, NAVC Conference proceedings, clinical studies, moderated discussion forums and industry news. Combining these resources with the cognitive computing capabilities of LifeLearn Sofie allows veterinarians to access this information instantly, in a clinically relevant manner.
Using natural language rather than key search terms, veterinarians simply type a question for Sofie and, in mere seconds, she can scan hundreds of thousands of pages of VetFolio content to return relevant, objective, and evidence-based treatment options. In addition, VetFolio will provide Sofie subscribers with recommendations for additional educational resources contained within VetFolio as well as access to experts within the VetFolio community.
"The goal behind VetFolio, launched one year ago, is to make the very best information available online so that the entire veterinary healthcare team can learn, network, and share information and knowledge, all in one place," said NAVC CEO Thomas M. Bohn, MBA, CAE. "Adding LifeLearn Sofie to the mix provides significant benefits to veterinarians by allowing them to instantly sort through this information and access what they need, when they need it, ultimately benefiting our clients and their patients alike."
"We are thrilled to be part of VetFolio and believe AAHA members and the entire profession will benefit from having on-demand access to the most comprehensive library of information available to our profession today," said AAHA CEO Michael Cavanaugh, DVM, DABVP. "Adding Sofie is the next logical step in helping veterinary teams stay on the cutting edge of both medicine and technology. VetFolio is proud to be bringing the future to our profession through this collaborative effort with LifeLearn.
LifeLearn has been developing the Sofie application over the past year in partnership with IBM Watson, which powers Sofie's sophisticated cognitive computing capabilities to process language naturally. Sofie seamlessly incorporates the cumulative wealth of veterinary literature into everyday practice, which will ultimately assist in providing better patient outcomes.
"LifeLearn, NAVC and AAHA share the mission of creating a better future in the veterinary industry," said James Carroll, President and CEO of LifeLearn. "This collaboration brings together the collective strengths of our organizations to enhance the quality and accessibility of knowledge, and delivers that knowledge instantly when it is needed most -- while caring for the patient."
LifeLearn is planning to launch Sofie early in 2015 with VetFolio content incorporated. For more information, visit http://sofie.lifelearn.com.
About LifeLearn
Founded in 1994, LifeLearn offers knowledge mobilization solutions for the animal health industry, empowering veterinary practices and animal health organizations to reach beyond traditional boundaries to turn knowledge into action. Driven by a highly specialized team of biomedical communicators, veterinarians, programmers, and designers, LifeLearn delivers written and visual content that inspires. LifeLearn creates content with insight, accuracy, and the latest technology, and activates it through LifeLearn websites, client education tools, and interactive digital applications that enhance use. With over 20 years in the animal health industry, LifeLearn also offers information and advice, with a specialty around emerging technologies and innovation. For more information about LifeLearn, visit lifelearn.com.
About NAVC
Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Gainesville, Fla., the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) is a non-profit organization that provides world-class professional development for the global veterinary healthcare community. The association's largest educational initiative, the annual NAVC Conference, hosts more than 16,000 attendees and 350 speakers from more than 70 countries each year. Other educational offerings include VetFolio — its year-round online CE platform for the entire veterinary healthcare team, NAVC Expeditions, NAVC Institute and several veterinary publications including Today's Veterinary Practice and Clinician's Brief, the official journals of the NAVC, Compendium, Veterinary Technician and Veterinary Therapeutics. The NAVC's international conference partners include the Asian Pacific Veterinary Conference (APVC), the Latin American Veterinary Conference (LAVC) and Southern European Veterinary Conference (SEVC). Visit NAVC.com for more information.
About AAHA
Founded in 1933 and headquartered in Lakewood, Colorado, the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) is the only organization in the United States and Canada that accredits companion animal hospitals based on standards that meet or exceed state regulations. The Association is well-known among veterinarians for its leadership in the profession, including its high standards for veterinary practices and pet health care, and its professional guidelines. AAHA is dedicated to educating veterinary practice teams through many offerings including VetFolio, a year-round online CE platform designed for the entire veterinary healthcare team. Visit www.aaha.org for more information.