Jitterbug LiveNurse™ a Finalist in the “Best Mobile Consumer Application” category from CTIA – the Wireless Association®.

September 17, 2009 – Jitterbug’s LiveNurse application, featuring FONEMED’s nurse triage, is a finalist in the “Best Mobile Consumer Application” category from CTIA – the Wireless Association®. The CTIA Hot for the Holidays awards program was created to identify and celebrate the hottest mobile consumer electronics products and applications for the 2009 holiday season.

The government’s recent discussion of health care reform has put a spotlight on the need for certain improvements. At the center of the conversation has been the need to provide the public with reliable, affordable and up-to-date information, advice, and care. This need is growing — according to projections, by 2050 the elderly population will nearly double from current numbers, and over 70% of the U.S. population will be considered “dependents” (those 17 and younger and 65 and older). As a result, health care costs and the price of maintaining patient well being are expected to rise. Now, more than ever, it’s important that technology foster new, alternative forms of care to help alleviate these pressures.

Jitterbug LiveNurse is one answer. The application is part of Jitterbug’s dedication to offer customers personalized, easy-to-use, and helpful services, and it can ultimately help in addressing these health care needs. With the touch of a button, Jitterbug LiveNurse users have 24-hour, unlimited access to registered nurses for medical advice and support — for only $4 a month and without any required insurance provider or health care plan. The nurses even track what health topics were discussed each time a customer calls, allowing personalized, more effective service by identifying specific issues or concerns that may arise during subsequent calls. With LiveNurse, users also have access to an updated health library featuring current information on hundreds of health-related topics, such as at-home remedies for the common cold.

To provide users with the fully-staffed, 24/7 nurse call center, Jitterbug partnered with FONEMED, and Jitterbug believes the LiveNurse service can help users better manage and improve their health and wellness. Like Jitterbug LiveNurse, the Jitterbug J cell phone is perfectly simple: in addition to having large buttons, a bright screen with easy-to-read text, and simple “Yes” and “No” menu prompts to eliminate complicated drop-down selections, the Jitterbug J gives users access to live operators who can assist them with placing calls or managing their account 24-hours a day. While features available on the phone include standards like voicemail, call history, a phone book, text messaging, and Bluetooth capability, these features can all be “turned on” or “turned off” as each user likes, making the phone as personalized as possible. Because of the Jitterbug J’s ease of use, LiveNurse is accessible to anyone — no matter their familiarity or comfort level with technology.

By seamlessly integrating health care and wireless technologies through the uniquely easy-to-use Jitterbug J cell phone, Jitterbug is opening access to personalized care for all demographics of users. Jitterbug believes that the best care comes when users have the tools to manage their own well being, and LiveNurse and emerging wireless health applications will allow users to manage that care in an autonomous, private manner. Ultimately, Jitterbug hopes these services can contribute to reduced health care costs and promote improvements in patient compliance and satisfaction.