wired.MD Inc announced the release of the streaMed digital patient education assistant software version 1.1, which the company will demonstrate to thousands of healthcare information technology (IT) and physician executives at the eHealthcare World exposition in San Diego this week.

wired.MD is the first to provide healthcare professionals with a web-enabled software tool to educate patients on diagnosis, treatment plans and procedures at the point of care.

Amidst the industry movement to wired medical facilities and the Internet's vast amount of health-related information made available to consumers, the basic need to maintain control and context of the educational process in the physician/patient relationship has been lost. In addition, the freedom and efficiency provided by handheld and wireless technologies extend the demand and expectations put on healthcare providers.

While IT infrastructure and wireless devices have secured their place throughout the healthcare community consciousness, applications that provide real patient benefit and physician value in ubiquity are slow to enter the market.