GREAT NECK, N.Y., Oct. 22, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The North Shore-LIJ Health System today announced the launch of OnHealth, a new free app that allows users to create and customize a digital health magazine based on their specific interests and healthcare preferences. The app, the first of its kind in the New York health market, was developed by the health system in conjunction with Northport, NY-based Onward Publishing and allows users to continually update and change their preferences based on their changing needs and interests.
"The idea behind OnHealth was to put the user in control," said Terry Lynam, the health system's vice president for public relations. "People are rarely interested in the full gamut of health care information,"Mr. Lynam said. "They're concerned about what affects them, their family and friends. Whether an individual wants news on one specific disease, several conditions or they're interested in following a specific hospital, doctor or they just want wellness information, the OnHealth app lets them select the news they want to receive and only the news they want."
The app works by pulling content from one of the New York region's largest healthcare providers and allows individuals to create a magazine in which they dictate the content. OnHealth automatically updates information with the most recent print, digital and video information available from North Shore-LIJ Health System – including magazine articles from North Shore's 10 community magazines, videos, news stories, press releases and other content.
Onward Publishing President and CEO Jeff Barasch explained that the reason for creating OnHealth is that more and more people are getting information digitally and don't want to have to hunt for the news they need. "One has only to look at social media to see that more and more people receive news and information through platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Twitter," Mr. Barasch said. "They don't want to search through a website for information. People select who and what they want to follow, and that's how they get information that's important to them. It's the news they want -- their choice. This app provides the same flexibility found in social media but specific to an individual's health needs."
North Shore-LIJ Health System's OnHealth is currently available for the iPhone and iPad and can be download for free in iTunes.
About North Shore-LIJ Health System
One of the nation's largest health care systems, North Shore-LIJ delivers world-class clinical care throughout the New York metropolitan area, pioneering research at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research and a visionary approach to medical education highlighted by the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine. North Shore-LIJ cares for people at every stage of life at 16 hospitals and nearly 400 outpatient physician practices throughout the region. North Shore-LIJ's owned hospitals and long-term care facilities house more than 6,000 beds, employ more than 10,000 nurses and have affiliations with more than 9,400 physicians. With a workforce of more than 47,000, North Shore-LIJ is the largest employer on Long Island and the third-largest private employer in New York City. For more information, go to www.northshorelij.com.
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