LOS ANGELES, Nov. 6, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On Saturday November 7, 2009, black-owned barbershops across Los Angeles will participate in a program sponsored by the Diabetic Amputation Prevention (DAP) Foundation and Dr. Bill Releford to screen African American men for diabetes, hypertension, and peripheral artery disease (PAD). Entra Health Systems of San Diego, working in partnership with Vasamed Inc. (Pink Sheets:VSMD) of Eden Prairie, MN will provide the latest medical testing technology to help volunteers from the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program evaluate basic health parameters for thousands of men at over 100 barbershops in LA.
"I believe that real healthcare reform has to begin at the community level and include those that best understand the health problems being faced every day by the underserved," said Dr. Bill J. Releford, D.P.M., founder of the DAP Foundation. "Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program is a community-based initiative whose aim is to facilitate viable partnerships that will result in better access to advancements in healthcare. Our partnership with Entra Health and Vasamed will go a long way toward helping us achieve our goal of addressing the impact of cardiovascular disease by providing free diabetes and blood pressure screenings for African American men throughout the country, while at the same time informing and educating men about healthy lifestyle alternatives."
"The program this weekend focuses attention on the importance of bringing the newest and most effective screening and treatment technology to a population that would not normally have ready access to it," said Richard Strobridge, Chief Executive Officer of Entra Health Systems. "Access to care is a big part of healthcare reform. The Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program is extending the reach of healthcare technology on a grassroots level. Through our partnership, we have an opportunity to increase public awareness of diabetes and its complications, as well as expand early detection and treatment."
Entra Health Systems is donating the highly accurate MyGlucoHealth blood glucose meter along with test strips and free access to online patient monitoring technology. The program will individually test all participants, while collecting related health and lifestyle information. The data from this unique program will be collected into a secure database using the MyGlucoHealth Network telehealth platform.
Vasamed will be providing the SensiLase System to help assess small blood vessel circulation in the diabetic foot and concomitant risk of peripheral artery disease. SensiLase is a noninvasive diagnostic tool for identifying critical circulatory conditions.
The Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program will be offering free screenings at barbershops throughout Los Angeles. The screenings will take place on Saturday, November 7, 2009 from 10 am to 3 pm. For addresses of participating barbershops, visit www.blackbarbershop.org.
About the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program
Founded in 2007 by Dr. Bill J. Releford, D.P.M. of Inglewood, California, the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program addresses healthcare disparities among African Americans. Dr. Releford is a podiatric surgeon who specializes in diabetic limb salvage to help reduce the extraordinarily high number of diabetes-related amputations in high-risk populations and is Associate Professor at Charles Drew University in Los Angeles. The mission of the Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program is to empower African American men to better understand diabetes and hypertension and to prevent its development and complications.
The Diabetic Amputation Prevention Foundation's Black Barbershop Health Outreach Program, is sponsored in part by a grant from The Centers for Disease and Control and in collaboration with Charles Drew University, UCLA and Congresswoman Maxine Waters. The program will expand on its successful effort that has already visited 23 cities and screened over 7500 men across the United States.
About Vasamed, Inc.
Vasamed, Inc. (Pink Sheets:VSMD) specializes in noninvasive diagnostic tools for identifying critical circulatory conditions. Their technologically advanced products can help improve patient outcomes by quickly, cost-effectively and noninvasively measuring hemodynamic parameters in a clinic or office-based setting. www.vasamed.com
About MyGlucoHealth(R) & Entra Health Systems
Entra Health Systems designs and manufactures technologies that enhance patient care while at the same time reducing the burden on healthcare providers. The MyGlucoHealth Wireless meter is the first and only FDA cleared and CE certified Bluetooth-enabled glucometer of its kind in the world. MyGlucoHealth works in combination with a real-time online data collection network to securely upload and manage blood glucose readings using a mobile phone or PC eliminating the need to maintain personal logbooks.
Headquartered in San Diego, with offices in Australia and Great Britain, Entra Health's products and services are engineered to improve communication between the patient, clinician and caregiver. For more information visit: www.entrahealthsystems.com, or www.myglucohealth.net.
The Entra Health Systems logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=6117