© 2008 CNBC.com MissingPatient.Com Entrepreneur Wins Rhode Island Business Plan Competition Service Provides Nationwide 24/7 Call Center and on-Line Website to Assist Caregivers and Law Enforcement in the Search and Retrieval of People Suffering from Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease

Business Wire
| 27 May 2008 | 03:49 PM ET

WESTERLY, R.I., May 27, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- MissingPatient.com was selected as the winner of the 2008 Rhode Island Business Plan Competition by a consortium of private companies, non-profit organizations, public agencies, colleges and foundations. The selection was announced at Business Expo 2008 hosted by the Providence Chamber of Commerce.

Chosen among a field of over thirty entrants and three finalists in the Entrepreneur, MissingPatient.com hopes to propel its services to statewide and national constituencies engaged in the care and guardianship of senior citizens suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's disease as well as people with cognitive brain disorders. MissingPatient.com provides value-added benefits through complete missing patient alert services designed around a nationwide 24/7 Call Center (877-WANDER-0) and on-line website to assist caregivers and law enforcement in the search and retrieval of people who wander.

MissingPatient.com, a part of Elopement Solutions, LLC., aims to assist senior citizens with dementia in assisted living and senior facilities, nursing homes, hospitals and community centers by providing an immediate response mechanism for their safe return in instances when they go wandering. MissingPatient.com also provides immediate resources to daycare and home guardians caring for loved ones and to Autism guardians.

Wandering, most often associated with Alzheimer's dementia, usually occurs two to four years after the onset of the disease. It's estimated that more than 34,000 of the 5.25 million people suffering from Alzheimer's disease in the United States wander out of their homes or care facilities each year. Wandering behavior is also present among the 280,000 people who have Autism.

"It can take seconds for a person to wander away, oftentimes resulting in falls and medical complications," commented Timothy P. Holmgren, President and Co-founder, Elopement Solutions, LLC. "MissingPatient.com serves as an "Amber Alert-type" system immediately notifying police, hospitals, family friends and neighbors as to the situation. After consulting with noted experts involved in the process of care giving for patients who wander, Elopement Solutions is fully-committed to building strategic alliances with medical professionals, lawyers, police officers in every community we serve." Elopement Solutions, LLC sought early involvement from experts in the law enforcement, medical and assisted-living fields including initial evaluation and proof of concept consult from the Faculty at the University of Florida's College of Medicine. With support from the Rhode Island State Police and local law enforcement entities, Mr. Holmgren stated, "Positioning MissingPatient.com and our 24/7 Call Center as an innovative technological resource for law enforcement professionals aids in their response to Alzheimer's and dementia wanderers thereby making us strategic partners in addressing an important concern." Combining a 24/7 Call Center and an online website, MissingPatient.com assists in the coordination of search and retrieval efforts between caregivers and law enforcement. Searching the system's database is only available to the police and emergency personnel. Enrollment in the program is simple and confidential.

Caregivers enroll loved ones by providing detailed information about the person so as to expedite search and retrieval including important medical and doctor information useful to medical and hospital personnel in treating the wanderer in case of accident or emergency. The guardian information is critical to coordinate a search and to return the missing person once found.

Through a state-of-the-art alert system, Elopement Solutions coordinates all required features hence bringing together medical professionals, police officers, private citizens through a real-time Call Center supported by a versatile website integrating multiple channels of communication. The system is unique in scope and services.

"To this end, MissingPatient.com and Elopement Solutions, LLC are positioned to make a difference in the lives of patients and their families who face Alzheimer's, dementia and cognitive brain disorders," said Mr. Holmgren. "We are solution-based partners in this national effort and we are proud to be a Rhode Island-based business looking to support the economic viability of the state through alliances with organizations such as the Johnson and Wales' Rhode Island Small Business Development Center." Headquartered in Rhode Island, MissingPatient.com is a service of Elopement Solutions, LLC. MissingPatient.com provides solution-based services to varied constituents including law enforcement, health care providers, caregivers, family and guardians of patients with Alzheimer's disease, dementia and cognitive brain disorders with a complete missing patient alert service.

MissingPatient.com's 24-7 Call Center and versatile website provides comprehensive communications that immediately alert the proper channels in the event a patient goes missing or wanders hence expediting the safe return of the missing patient. MissingPatient.com is a community service program designed to reduce the strain on local and state law enforcement while supporting the patient and caregivers.