The average set of braces costs $6,000, far out of the financial reach of many families. Smile for a Lifetime is creating self-confidence, inspiring hope, and changing the lives of children in our communities by giving the gift of a smile. They help meet this need by providing $2 million for orthodontic care to individuals who cannot afford the care and may not have the opportunity to acquire assistance.

The expertise in communications strategies provided by TeleVox Software, Inc., a leading provider of communication solutions for the healthcare industry, will help expand the program by delivering the message about this very worthwhile cause to more people who need it and to more providers of orthodontia.

Many orthodontists donate some of their services, and their efforts are greatly appreciated by the communities that they serve. Smile for a Lifetime provides a way to recognize and formalize their commitment for providing pro bono services. It also provides a better way for the underprivileged to find orthodontists donating this type of work.

TeleVox will also be designing and hosting websites to help Smile for a Lifetime with its online marketing efforts as well as delivering news releases and newsletters to TeleVox clients, including more than 3,000 orthodontists.

The organization’s TeleVox-hosted website will include documents, videos and forms for different Smile for a Lifetime chapters to post comments, questions and share ideas. The home page will include a donor’s area and will provide clear instructions for interested potential candidates (children and parents) and interested orthodontists. Newsletters and news releases will also be available via the website.

Each newsletter will feature a child who has benefitted from Smile for a Lifetime’s services as well as the orthodontist providing the services. The newsletter feature will help heighten national awareness of the program as well as the commitment of participating orthodontists.

“I’m very excited about our partnership with TeleVox, a leading communications firm in the healthcare community known for its integrity, product quality and commitment to service,” said Dr. David B. Carter, National President for Smiles for a Lifetime. “TeleVox will help heighten the awareness of our program among dentists, the orthodontia community as well as individuals who need assistance for orthodontic care. This increased awareness will help us reach more underserved families. TeleVox will be invaluable in that effort.”

“We look forward to supporting Smile for a Lifetime with their worthwhile program,” said Scott Zimmerman, Business Leader for TeleVox. “The need for braces among children in underserved communities is significant and Smile for a Lifetime is playing a tremendous role in meeting this need.”

About Smile for a Lifetime

Smile for a Lifetime Foundation is a charitable non-profit organization that provides orthodontic care to individuals who may not have the opportunity to acquire assistance.

Launched in 2008, Smiles for a Lifetime Foundation aims to reach individuals with financial challenges, special situations, and orthodontic needs. The Foundation sponsors the orthodontic care of hundreds of patients each year.

About TeleVox

For years leading doctors have chosen TeleVox for proactive, effective and timely healthcare communication. TeleVox offers value-driven, secure and reliable communications solutions that help to create new revenue streams for healthcare providers and proactively inform their patients.

TeleVox understands that patients want to receive communication from their doctors in a secure and timely fashion, using the most convenient channel to reach them. That’s why TeleVox broadens doctor-patient communication channels beyond voice, with the right mix of technology and human touch.

TeleVox offers and hosts multi-media outbound messaging platforms, communication portals and proactive communication programs that seamlessly integrate with data and practice management systems. Formed in 1992, TeleVox has worldwide presence in over 15,000 practices and organizations and accurately delivers millions of multi-media messages every week.

An affiliate of West Corporation, TeleVox is headquartered in Mobile, Alabama. For more information, visit the Company’s website at www.televox.com or call 1-800-644-4266.

About West Corporation

West Corporation is a leading provider of technology-driven, voice-oriented solutions. West offers its clients a broad range of communications and infrastructure management solutions that help them manage or support critical communications. West’s automated customer contact solutions and conferencing services are designed to improve its clients’ cost structure and provide reliable, high-quality services. West also provides mission-critical services, such as public safety and emergency communications.

Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, West serves Fortune 1000 companies and other clients in a variety of industries, including telecommunications, banking, retail, financial, technology and healthcare. West has sales and operations in the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Asia Pacific and Latin America. For more information on West Corporation, please call 1-800-841-9000 or visit www.west.com.

TeleVox has worked with dentists, orthodontists and other health care professionals for several years, developing an intricate understanding of their communications needs via the Web and other channels. From this understanding, the company has developed a fast, efficient system to design websites that meet the unique needs of dentists and orthodontists, whether they are in large practices or in small ones, whether they offer many services or specialize in certain areas.

TeleVox consults with doctors seeking website development services to learn specifics about their businesses in order to design a site that meets each customer’s individual tastes and desires. Helping to accelerate website development completion is TeleVox's proprietary Collaborate tool. Without sacrificing quality, uniqueness or customization of design, TeleVox uses the Collaborate tool to stay in close contact with each orthodontist throughout the site development process, ensuring quick response to site design requests, changes and approvals. The orthodontist can see each proposed design and site architecture, make comments and have any needed changes made quickly by the TeleVox design team.

"What made me select TeleVox was their customer service, their good reputation, and the fact that they specialized in Web development for the dental field," says Allison Albrecht with Hood Dental Care. "Even though I came back with additional changes, and more things I wanted to add to the site, TeleVox was able to get the website up and running for us in about five weeks.”

Albrecht adds, "We loved the initial phone consult with TeleVox to get and exchange design ideas and they really listened to what we wanted. Within a couple of weeks they got back to me with a demo. They were always getting back with implemented changes immediately."

“Good websites are critical for today’s health care practices. But orthodontists and dentists want to spend their time treating patients, not worrying about the design or the performance of their sites,” says Scott Zimmerman, business leader for TeleVox. “We help meet both of these needs by working as a website design partner who handles all of the intricate elements of the process to develop a site that delivers benefits to the orthodontists and their patients.”

For website design resources, tips, frequently asked questions, and stories from TeleVox web design customers, visit www.televox.com/websites.

The multimedia informational campaign (www.televox.com/fluprogram) includes sample automated messages and scripts, patient education materials and e-mails. The program helps health care professionals quickly and easily implement a flu communication strategy based on messages essential to patients, such as the latest information regarding the disease, ways to prevent it and what patients should do if they think they have the flu.

“There’s been much more attention paid to the H1N1 virus than is typical for seasonal strains of the flu, with several health care organizations referring to it as a pandemic,” said Scott Zimmerman, business leader for TeleVox. “Some colleges and universities have already been impacted and the President and other government officials have thought enough about the swine flu to publicly address it. With all of this attention, doctor’s offices are being impacted by patients seeking additional information. By proactively reaching out to patients and providing them with details about the flu virus itself, prevention and treatment, health care professionals can give their patients the best care.”

By combining automated voice, e-mail and SMS communications with more traditional methods such as postcards and in-office printed materials, the program provides multiple communication channels, which is critical for reaching today’s patients. Many of the elderly, who tend to be the most susceptible to most types of flu, will respond best to the postcard or to telephone communications. College-age patients tend to respond best to digital communications such as e-mails and text messages. The Flu Preparedness Program allows healthcare organizations to easily customize their flu outreach strategies utilizing the communication elements that best fit the needs and demographics of their patients.

About TeleVox

For years leading doctors have chosen TeleVox for proactive, effective and timely healthcare communication. TeleVox offers value-driven, secure and reliable communications solutions that help to create new revenue streams for healthcare providers and proactively inform their patients.

TeleVox understands that patients want to receive communication from their doctors in a secure and timely fashion, using the most convenient channel to reach them. That’s why TeleVox broadens doctor-patient communication channels beyond voice, with the right mix of technology and human touch.

TeleVox offers and hosts multi-media outbound messaging platforms, communication portals and proactive communication programs that seamlessly integrate to data and practice management systems. Formed in 1992, TeleVox has worldwide presence in over 14,000 practices and organizations and accurately delivers millions of multi-media messages every week.

An affiliate of West Interactive Corporation, TeleVox is headquartered in Mobile, Alabama. For more information, visit the Company’s website at www.televox.com or call 1-800-644-4266.

About West Corporation

West Corporation is a leading provider of outsourced communication solutions to many of the world's largest companies, organizations and government agencies. West combines telephony, technology and human capital to help its clients communicate effectively, maximize the value of their customer relationships and drive greater profitability from customer related transactions. The company’s integrated suite of customized solutions includes worldwide conferencing, emergency communications, customer care, customer acquisition, customer retention, business-to-business sales, account management and accounts receivable management services.

Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, West has a team of 43,000 employees based in North America, Europe and Asia. For more information on West Corporation, please call 1-800-841-9000 or visit www.west.com.

The 2009 swine flu strain first showed up in April, so it’s gotten plenty of media attention for months. The disease is among the top news stories again as colleges reopen their doors. Within a week of starting classes, 47 cases of the disease were reported at the University of Kansas at Lawrence. Texas Christian University in Fort Worth quarantined some students in dormitories and temporarily suspended one education program.

The 2009 strain is a descendant of the swine flu of 1918 that infected nearly a third of the world’s population and resulted in 50 million deaths. The virility of the 1918 disease, combined with the media attention has resulted in more concern about the upcoming flu season than has been seen in several years.

Officials are racing to prepare for what is expected to be a large increase in the number of people seeking flu shots because of growing public unease about the swine flu. According to a White House report, 30 percent to half of the population could the disease, with death estimates ranging anywhere from 30,000 to 90,000. In a regular flu season, up to 20 percent of the population is infected and 36,000 die.

Health care officials in the U.S. and across the globe are all closely watching the progression of this flu strain. The U.S. Health and Human Services Department said no one has immunity to the disease. With all of this concern, healthcare providers will want to keep their patients abreast of the latest developments. They can proactively provide patients with information on ways to help prevent the disease and what steps to take if they still contract the flu.

By proactively providing patients with this information and by quickly scheduling appointments with those who do have flu-like symptoms, healthcare offices can help ensure that their patients receive fast, quality care. Prompt attention is one of the best ways of combating the swine flu and other health issues.

The companies included in the Healthcare Informatics 100 represent a broad range of specializations within the healthcare IT sector, covering everything from all-encompassing enterprise systems to very focused best-of-breed solutions.

Healthcare providers rely on TeleVox’s multimedia outbound messaging platforms, communication portals and proactive communication solutions to help create new revenue streams and more effectively connect with their patients.

“As healthcare organizations look to increase efficiency, they are relying on our solutions to improve customer care and reduce expenses, enabling us to reach our highest level ever on the Healthcare Informatics 100,” said Scott Zimmerman, business leader for TeleVox. “We will continue to develop new doctor-patient communication products to meet the healthcare industry’s evolving needs.”

About Healthcare Informatics – Founded in 1984, Healthcare Informatics is the industry’s leading publication and is a vital resource for more than 40,000 healthcare IT executives who require insightful coverage and commentary to stay on the cutting edge of technology. Healthcare Informatics is a publication of The McGraw-Hill companies.

About TeleVox
For years leading doctors have chosen TeleVox for proactive, effective and timely healthcare communication. TeleVox offers value-driven, secure and reliable communications solutions that help to create new revenue streams for healthcare providers and proactively inform their patients.

TeleVox understands that patients want to receive communication from their doctors in a secure and timely fashion, using the most convenient channel to reach them. That’s why TeleVox broadens doctor-patient communication channels beyond voice, with the right mix of technology and human touch.

TeleVox offers and hosts multi-media outbound messaging platforms, communication portals and proactive communication programs that seamlessly integrate to data and practice management systems. Formed in 1992, TeleVox has worldwide presence in over 14,000 practices and organizations and accurately delivers millions of multi-media messages every week.

An affiliate of West Interactive Corporation, TeleVox is headquartered in Mobile, Alabama. For more information, visit the Company’s website at www.televox.com or call 1.800.644.4266.

About West Corporation
West Corporation is a leading provider of outsourced communication solutions to many of the world's largest companies, organizations and government agencies. West combines telephony, technology and human capital to help its clients communicate effectively, maximize the value of their customer relationships and drive greater profitability from customer related transactions. The company’s integrated suite of customized solutions includes worldwide conferencing, emergency communications, customer care, customer acquisition, customer retention, business-to-business sales, account management and accounts receivable management services.

Founded in 1986 and headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, West has a team of 43,000 employees based in North America, Europe and Asia. For more information on West Corporation, please call 1-800-841-9000 or visit www.west.com.

When the task of quickly reaching out to each and every patient is turned over to automated messaging technology, the size of that population is no longer an issue. What other medium can deliver targeted communications to thousands of patients in a single hour?

To proactively tackle pandemic notifications during the recent swine flu concern, Texas Children’s Health Plan delivered messages to the responsible parties of approximately 200,000 patients within a one-day timeframe. Sending this campaign just as swine flu was beginning to grab headlines and dominate media coverage at the local and national levels allowed the health plan hoped to calm fears, and in turn, reduce the number of patients visiting emergency rooms with concerns over swine flu symptoms. Texas Children’s swine flu message included a brief list of precautionary measures that families can take to limit risk.

The short turnaround time associated with this technology allows organizations to stay at the forefront of an issue. In Texas Children’s situation, a script for the automated calls was created on a Friday. By Saturday’s end, the entire 200,000-message pandemic notification campaign was complete.

Can’t an organization’s website be a useful way to get pandemic information to patients? Of course, but since patients have to take steps to access the website, the reactive nature of online communication is not an ideal strategy for disseminating time-sensitive information. By sending outbound phone, e-mail and SMS/text messages, the chances of contacting those patients are doubled many times over. That’s not to say that outbound messages and website posts can’t work hand-in-hand. Many organizations use the automated notifications to bring patients to their website for more detailed information.

Another advantage of mass communication technology? Consistent messages. Since organizations are involved in every step of the message scripting and voice recording, they are able to tightly control what patients hear, something that takes on added importance in potentially life-threatening situations.

Leading messaging technologies add an interactive element to the provider’s communications planning. If the provider so chooses, patients can select from embedded response options to indicate that they received the message, transfer to a live representative for further information, etc. After a calling campaign has concluded, organizations can access detailed reports of call results, indicating call transfer, disconnected phone numbers and more. The report also offers documentation of each and every patient contact attempt.

Other organizations have chosen to address swine flu in a more indirect manner. As a part of the routine appointment reminder notifications sent to patients, Johns Hopkins Medical Institute informs patients that they will be asked to answer a few questions about respiratory illness when they come in for their appointment. Johns Hopkins is also recommending that patients attend appointments without a family member present to eliminate any potential exposure to the virus.

Regardless of how a provider wants to approach patients (messages focused squarely on the emergency or just as a part of routine communication), automated messaging gives providers an attention-grabbing forum to proactively contact patients, educate and direct them to valuable resources and prevent any potential misinformation.

MOBILE, AL (April 27, 2009) – Doctors must customize care and communication to meet the demands of Internet savvy health consumers in order to succeed and ultimately survive. That is according to recent reports detailing the future view of healthcare. This trend of self-service transactions and online communications is the fork in the road for the orthodontic industry because its adoption is critical for a successful orthodontic practice.

By incorporating e-health communications into a practice, an orthodontist can ensure he or she maintains their competitive edge and brand image and, as a result, improves patient satisfaction and revenue," said Scott Zimmerman, business leader for TeleVox, a leading provider of healthcare communication solutions.

"Before a patient makes an appointment, that patient has probably already consulted a variety of sources on the Internet," continued Zimmerman. "They most likely have downloaded report cards on orthodontists in their area, looked at before and after pictures on websites and read patient satisfaction reviews about a particular office."

TeleVox is leading the way in the use of innovative e-health communications to meet the demands of today’s health conscious consumer with unique products and services, such as T.LINK, SiteBoost and AdBoost.

TeleVox is offering free consultations and product demonstrations at the 2009 AAO Annual Session (American Association of Orthodontists) in Boston May 1-5, 2009 at Booth #3033.

T.LINK, which has 1.6 million active users, turns a website into an interactive patient service resource center. With T.LINK orthodontists can conduct patient satisfaction surveys, give patients access to detailed appointment information, send automated e-mail appointment confirmations or send text message appointment reminders to mobile devices. They can even accelerate payments and decrease accounts receivable through the new online payment service for mobile devices.

SiteBoost and AdBoost offer premium search results and search marketing services to augment their website presence and drive more traffic to the website. Porter Research confirmed that TeleVox-hosted websites outranked other vendors in search engine ranking and visibility.

SiteBoost and AdBoost provides an opportunity to reach the growing demographic of online users seeking orthodontic care by driving targeted traffic to a doctor’s website. With SiteBoost and AdBoost an orthodontist can target Internet users in their geographical areas that are looking for answers for specific orthodontic needs at a cost much lower than traditional marketing (i.e. television, direct mail, billboards, yellow pages, newspaper ads). SiteBoost and AdBoost also provide data and analysis to report where the traffic is coming from and what types of information their user base is seeking.

Recent reports show that many orthodontists are looking for better ways to decrease administrative costs, increase practice efficiency, improve productivity and attract new patients. "We know that easy patient scheduling, quality patient service and access to information are all major drivers in patient satisfaction. That's why technology has really become a necessity in building and maintaining patient loyalty," said Zimmerman.

About TeleVox

For years leading doctors have chosen TeleVox for proactive, effective and timely healthcare communication. TeleVox offers value-driven, secure and reliable communications solutions that help to create new revenue streams for healthcare providers and proactively inform their patients.

TeleVox understands that patients want to receive communication from their doctors in a secure and timely fashion, using the most convenient channel to reach them. That’s why TeleVox broadens doctor-patient communication channels beyond voice, with the right mix of technology and human touch.

TeleVox offers and hosts multi-media outbound messaging platforms, communication portals and proactive communication programs that seamlessly integrate to data and practice management systems. Formed in 1992, TeleVox has worldwide presence in over 14,000 practices and organizations and accurately delivers millions of multi-media messages every week.

An affiliate of West Interactive Corporation, TeleVox is headquartered in Mobile, Alabama. For more information, visit the Company’s website at www.televox.com or call 1.800.644.4266.

MOBILE, AL (April 23, 2009) – This is Bay Side Medical Center calling with a preventive healthcare message. If you have not received a mammogram in the past 12 months we encourage you to schedule one before the end of the year. Bay Side Medical Center cares about your health. To schedule an appointment, please press 1.

Proactive communication about preventative health services like mammograms, flu shots, and advice to stop smoking is an innovative way for doctors to build stronger relationships with patients – and provide them with the information they need to stay well and improve their health.

Everyone is interested in preventive health care. Yet, lifestyle-related behaviors account for half of the ten leading causes of death in the United States. Former Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson likened this “to waiting for your car to break down before you take it in for maintenance.” Many do it, but it certainly isn’t the best approach—on the road or in life!

Consequently, today’s preventative care has become less about health promotion and more about early diagnosis. That’s why some doctors are bringing back the notion of making house calls through TeleVox SmartReach 360.

TeleVox SmartReach 360™ is a hosted software solution that is poised to play a big role in addressing a preventative care gap by identifying care opportunities and monitoring progress through one fully integrated, web-based software application.

Research supports the need for a solution like SmartReach 360 in the healthcare industry. A recent Doctors' Office Quality Information Technology Project (DOQ-IT) study shows that more than 70% of patients do not receive recommended preventative care.

“When it comes to patient care, there’s no such thing as too much information,” said Scott Zimmerman, business leader for TeleVox. “SmartReach 360 provides patients with a more proactive approach to their care and introduces them to new opportunities to improve their health. Patients receive timely, relevant information from their providers, with SmartReach 360 delivering courtesy reminders, recalls notices and other communications by phone, e-mail or text message.”

TeleVox SmartReach 360™ outbound notifications can be personalized to include name, date, provider, location and other special instructions. Each call includes response options for patients to confirm or cancel an appointment, leave a message or speak with a live representative.

Zimmerman notes that physicians use SmartReach 360 to develop and implement disease management and wellness programs based on clinical criteria, and then automatically communicate with patients to improve health. “Physicians benefit from increased awareness of their treatment programs as well as support for pay-for-performance and other improvement-driven programs.”

About SmartReach 360
Powered by MDdatacor, SmartReach 360 is designed to improve patient health by focusing on four key areas: identifying patient care opportunities, contacting patients and monitoring patient progress and outcomes.

This web-based solution optimizes the quality of patient care by analyzing the patient clinical information collected from physicians via electronic medical records, transcribed office notes, lab results and medical claims to identify care opportunities to the treating physician. Staff members are also relieved of the burden of delivering outbound communications to manage those patient visits. At the point-of-care, SmartReach 360 provides data to assist in physicians’ decision making. As patient healthcare improves, SmartReach 360 measures these results to support pay-for-performance and other improvement-driven programs.

About TeleVox
For years leading doctors have chosen TeleVox for proactive, effective and timely healthcare communication. TeleVox offers value-driven, secure and reliable communications solutions that help create new revenue streams for healthcare providers and proactively inform their patients.

TeleVox understands that patients want to receive communication from their doctors in a secure and timely fashion, using the most convenient channel to reach them. That’s why TeleVox broadens doctor-patient communication channels beyond voice, with the right mix of technology and human touch.

TeleVox offers and hosts multimedia outbound messaging platforms, communication portals, and proactive communication programs that seamlessly integrate to data and practice management systems. Formed in 1992, TeleVox has worldwide presence in over 14,000 practices and organizations, and accurately delivers millions of multimedia messages every week.

An affiliate of West Interactive Corporation, TeleVox is headquartered in Mobile, Alabama. For more information, visit the Company’s website at www.televox.com or call 1.800.644.4266.

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Contact:
Allison White
TeleVox Software
800-644-4266
info@televox.com

Taking advantage of the inevitable hold time individuals experience when calling a business, Vox On-Hold mixes customized messages and music to educate, inform and entertain callers. Organizations often use the system to further their marketing and service initiatives. From introducing new treatment options and services to offering information on a variety of related topics, Vox On-Hold has drawn rave reviews from both callers and businesses.

“The overwhelming response of our patients to Vox On-Hold is that they love it, and they often ask to be put back on hold to get the rest of the information”, says Leah Arteaga, Office Manager at Brookline Village Dermatology in Brookline, MA. “It sure beats sitting on hold listening to elevator music.”

Kelly Dishongh, Marketing Director at Greenbrier Dental Center in Chesapeake, VA, has similar praise for Vox On-Hold.

“As much as we hate to put patients on hold, it has made their wait soothing and informative,” says Dishongh. “We tried using CDs or radio for our on-hold background for years, and it was just not as reliable or of the same quality.”

Vox On-Hold customers also benefit from TeleVox’s much-applauded service department. Scriptwriters work closely with clients to compose messages specific to the business, staff, specialty and services. Once those scripts are in place, Vox On-Hold productions are developed using professional voice talent.

TeleVox expects to see exponential Vox On-Hold growth in the near future, as the increasing number of clients results in increased referrals as well.

“As we continue to refine and improve Vox On-Hold technology, more and more businesses are realizing the system’s value as a marketing and customer service tool,” says Chad Greer, Vice President of Sales and Product Marketing for TeleVox. “Since the system can be customized for healthcare, commercial or virtually any other setting, the sky’s the limit for Vox On-Hold.”

About TeleVox
TeleVox Software, Inc., an affiliate of West Interactive Corporation, is a leading provider of communication solutions for the healthcare industry. Since 1992, TeleVox has offered a full range of products, including outbound messaging, inbound IVR applications, interactive website design and hosting, on-hold messaging, secure online communication portals and survey delivery systems. Supported by a state-of-the-art infrastructure, TeleVox solutions resolve time-consuming communication issues associated with appointment reminders, patient notifications and patient inquiry. TeleVox has a worldwide presence in over 14,000 practices and organizations and delivers millions of messages weekly via telephone and the Internet. To learn more about Vox On-Hold, contact TeleVox by calling 1-800-644-4266, e-mailing info@televox.com or visiting www.televox.com.

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Contact:
Allison White
TeleVox Software
800-644-4266
info@televox.com