(Wynnewood, PA; March 14, 2008) -- When Mark Hilton of southern Chester County woke in the middle of the night shot of breath, he thought he had the flu. The reality was something he never expected.

Hilton, then 40, went to the nearest hospital emergency department where doctors determined his condition required specialized cardiac care. He was airlifted to Lankenau and suffered a massive heart attack while undergoing diagnostic testing in the catheterization laboratory. Three months later, given just a few weeks to live, he received a new heart.

While Mark fought for his life, lapsing in and out of consciousness, his wife, Ami, held down the home front - and the task of informing relatives and friends of developments in Mark's condition.

To help communicate, she used CarePages, an internet-based service Main Line Health provides free of charge to its patients and families. "It was hard to remember who I had called or e-mailed about Mark's condition when he was in the hospital," she said. "I set up a CarePage for us and it became so much easier to keep everybody up-to-date. I still use it occasionally."

Quick, easy, and private, CarePages can be accessed from any computer and offers patients and their families a discreet way to inform their loved ones and friends about a patient's condition, share pictures of their new baby, or simply to say, "I'm feeling fine today," to everyone at the same time.

The network is growing in popularity with more than 825 CarePages created since Lankenau, Bryn Mawr, Paoli and Bryn Mawr Rehab launched the service in September 2005. 

"We're thrilled so many of our patients are taking advantage of CarePages," said MLH President, Jack Lynch. "Offering this service to the community exemplifies our ongoing commitment to keeping our patients happy and providing for all the needs of patients and their families - not just their medical ones."

CarePages are very easy to set up and are available even after patients leave the hospital; or to anyone receiving continuous medical care at a Main Line Health Hospital. According to Susan Graham, a marketing manager at Main Line Health, CarePages are password-protected, secure, and comply with all patient privacy regulations. "Families tell us that it relieves the stress of having to keep talking about their loved one's situation, or fear that they've forgotten to tell someone. And it also gives family and friends a way to post a message of support at any time of day or night without feeling as though they're intruding."

Two years later Mark Hilton recalls his 17 weeks in the hospital hooked to machines that helped his failing heart pump as he slowly regained strength to prepare for a transplant operation. "It's been a long ordeal. I was very lucky. Today, I feel great, and 'back to doing a lot of things I used to do."

Patients in cardiac, intensive care, and maternity are the biggest users of the network, according to Main Line Health statistics. Visitors to the pages hail from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and more than 40 countries, led by Canada and the United Kingdom.

For more information on CarePages, visit www.mainlinehealth.org/carepages.

Published:3-20-2008