Area firm to test medication alert system
A Crystal Lake technology firm wants your smartphone to remind you when to take your medications.
For the last three years, Leap of Faith Technologies (www.leapoffaith.com) has been developing a software application, called eMedonline (www.emedonline.com), designed to help monitor your medications by sending you a call to remind you of your next dose.
It then can use a radio frequency identification bar to read whether you're choosing the correct container, said founder and owner Barbara Rapchak.
"It primarily works with a Treo smartphone or it could be used on any smartphone with Windows Mobile operating system," she said.
Leap of Faith also is looking for people willing to try the new application and report to them about their experiences.
"We're ready to find early adopters," she said.
Those so-called early adopters could include people who have chronic diseases or are senior citizens on regular medications. The idea is to improve the quality of life without having to enter a medical facility or nursing home to get regular medical treatments.
Rapchak said the system goes beyond reminding patients to take their medications.
"It also helps them monitor their symptoms, side effects, and overall well-being using an off-the-shelf cell phone so they can stay mobile and be well," she said.
The U.S. National Institute of Health/National Institute on Aging has awarded Leap of Faith a $969,089 grant to further develop the smartphone-based solution. The company also is partnering with the National Cancer Institute and others.
People didn't want another beeper or a watch or any other device, Rapchak said.
"We needed to develop a seamless way for the way people really live," Rapchak said. "Everyone comes back to their phones."
For more information on the test, contact Leap of Faith at (815) 356-1767.
Surfing: Deerfield-based Walgreens said its Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy has launched a new HIV-focused Web site, HIV.Walgreens.com. Patients can get advice from an HIV-trained pharmacist in the privacy of their homes. The site provides information about HIV/AIDS, including signs, symptoms, treatment and medication management. Patients and caregivers also can access a list of HIV-focused Walgreens pharmacy locations.
• MacSpecialist, an authorized Apple reseller at 234 W. Roosevelt Road, Village Park, will host Reboot, its second annual consumer electronics recycling event at 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Used computers and other consumer electronics could be accepted. Consumers will then receive a discount coupon toward an in-store purchase for that day. For information, visit www.macspecialist.com or call (630) 858-0000, ext. 823.
• Chicago-based Whoast Inc. (www.whoast.com) focuses on increasing visitors to a Web site by improving rank on search engine results for business clients. It also offers Internet marketing and pay-per-click campaign advice.