Meet the 2007 Innovators of ValueDriven Healthcare Who Will Take Home the ABBY



Value-driven healthcare is medical care that is both high quality and cost effective, and nine California companies are making such an impact in this arena that their peers have named them Finalists for Innovations in HealthcareSM ABBY Awards. These organizations have developed proven approaches that have achieved quantifiable results in the fields of healthcare information technology, medical/bio-technology, and the delivery of healthcare.

On Wednesday, June 6, the Adaptive Business Leaders (ABL) Organization will host an awards event honoring these innovators of value-driven healthcare: DestinationRx, Inc.; eHealth, Inc.; IntelliDOT Corporation; ev3 Neurovascular; Acclarent, Inc.; U.S. Medical Instruments, Inc.; Conceptus, Inc.; Integrated Healthcare Association; Sutter Health; and Safeway, Inc. Three of these honorees will receive ABBY Awards at the Ninth Annual Innovations in HealthcareSM Awards Event, in Newport Beach, California.

Also to be recognized is Steve Burd, Chairman and CEO of Safeway, Inc., a Fortune 50 company leader who has emerged as a bold innovator in inspiring healthy behavior among his 30,000 non-unionized work force, serving as a model for the nation. Burd will be honored with ABL'ss 2007 Leadership in Innovation Award and make a keynote presentation at the event.

The nine ABBY Award Finalists were selected by ABL'ss Innovations Selection Committee from more than 50 nominees and have been divided into three categories. At the conclusion of the June 6th event, following presentations by each Finalist, attendees's votes will decide which three companies - one from each category - will take home ABBY Awards. The categories are:

Innovative Healthcare Information Technology Category:

DestinationRx, Inc. - Michael Cho, CEO, will present DRx'ss technology that has enabled over one million Medicare beneficiaries who have logged onto medicare.gov to determine which Part D plan offers them the best total price for their particular drug coverage.

eHealth Inc. - Gary Lauer, CEO, will present eHealth'ss online process that organizes and presents 5,000+ health insurance products, offered by over 150 carriers, in an unbiased format, empowering individuals, families, and small businesses to research, analyze, compare and purchase their coverage.

IntelliDOT Corporation - Tom Klopack, CEO, will present the CAREt System, a wireless, hand-held device that organizes workflow at the bedside, guiding the nurse through all required tasks, automatically queuing critical tasks, and displaying information for action.

Innovative Medical/Bio-Technology Category:

ev3 Neurovascular - Matthew Jenusaitis, President, will present ev3'ss Onyx material to treat arterio-venous malformations in the brain. These potentially fatal anomalies are safely and reliably treated with this novel liquid polymer material that is injected into the cerebral vascular system and polymerizes to isolate the affected area.

Acclarent, Inc. - Josh Makower, MD, Founder and Chairman, will present how - in 18 months - the company'ss Balloon SinuplastyTM devices (a minimally invasive alternative to conventional endoscopic surgical approaches) evolved from an idea to an FDA-approved, commercial success, completely revolutionizing the treatment of chronic sinusitis along the way.

U.S. Medical Instruments, Inc. - Matthew Mazur, CEO, will present SafeSnap, the only safety syringe on the market that becomes its own sharps container. SafeSnap'ss innovative design helps prevent needle-stick injuries. Nearly one million healthcare workers sustain needle-stick injuries each year, exposing them to blood-borne pathogens.

Innovative Approaches to the Delivery of Healthcare Category:

Conceptus, Inc. - Mark Sieczkarek, CEO, will present the Essure Permanent Birth Control system - the first and only FDA-approved hysteroscopic sterilization method, designed to provide a non-incisional alternative to tubal ligation, currently the leading form of birth control worldwide.

Integrated Healthcare Association - Tom Williams, Executive Director, will present IHA, a leadership group whose mission is to promote quality improvement, accessibility and affordability of healthcare in California through collaboration among key stakeholders. IHA'ss Pay-for-Performance (P4P) program is the largest physician incentive program in the U.S.

Sutter Health - Gordon Hunt, Jr., MD, Chief Medical Officer, will present Sutter'ss eICU® patient-safety system that monitors patients - from hubs in Sacramento and San Francisco - in 359 ICU beds located throughout the system - as far as 425 miles away.

2007 Leadership in Innovation Award Winner: Steve Burd, Chairman and CEO, Safeway, Inc.

Under Steve'ss direction, Safeway has reversed the trend of rising healthcare costs by implementing a benefits plan that pays 100% of preventive healthcare, rewards good behavior, and allows employees to take more control of their healthcare decisions. Participating employees have a better, more comprehensive health plan while their out-of-pocket costs have decreased 22% to 32% over a two-year period. More than 70% of 30,000 eligible non-union employees participate. Also, Steve addresses state and national forums urging business, labor, government, and the healthcare industry to work together to solve the healthcare crisis.

The Ninth Annual Innovations in HealthcareSM Awards Event is open to ABL Members, as well as senior executives of healthcare providers and payers, medical device, therapeutic, diagnostic, and healthcare information and services firms. For more information about the event, ABBY Awards and/or the ABL Organization, please contact Jen Meloni at ABL at (714) 245-1427 or visit abl.org.

About the Adaptive Business Leaders Organization:
Since its founding in 1983, through focused, confidential, monthly Round Tables for healthcare services, life science and technology company CEOs, and regularly-scheduled Conferences and Events, ABL Members have helped each other capitalize on market trends and opportunities, assuring that they are well positioned for corporate and personal success.

Contact:
Jen Meloni, Event Coordinator at (714) 245-1427, or
Mimi Grant, President at (714) 245-1425
Adaptive Business Leaders (ABL) Organization





Meet the 2007 Innovators of ValueDriven Healthcare Who Will Take Home the ABBY