/*Emmi*/ is a new, interactive computer program at /*Kaiser Permanente*/ in Fresno ... and at medical centers around the country. It takes patients on a tour of their upcoming surgical procedure ... to take the mystery out of medicine and to calm their nerves.
Nancy Nottingham: "To have something to prepare you is phenomenal. I'm glad technology has caught up with us."
Nancy knew she needed an invasive procedure and recovery would take 4-6 months. The mother of three not only had to calm her nerves ... but the anxiety of her family.
Nancy Nottingham: "The kids knew what to expect that I wasn't able to ... lift anything over five pounds ... wasn't able to push anything so they would have to help with the chores."
Nancy says "Emmi" put her at ease ... showing her exactly what to expect ... even enabling her to make note of questions for her doctor ... Fresno Kaiser OB/GYN ... Amanda Reeve.
Dr. Amanda Reeve: "They're being educated so they're making more informed decisions on things they may not have had the courage to ask, they're now understanding better."
Designed by a surgeon and a video game designer ... EMMI can do what a busy physician sometimes can't.
Dr. Amanda Reeve: "It gives them access to reliable information on their own time at a pace that they can handle."
It's a time-saving tool ... for patients who are about to have a life-changing operation.
Nancy Nottingham: "I was really reassured that everything was going to be ok."
Patients can log-on from any computer, using their medical ID number as an access code. Doctors say it has greatly reduced the anxiety of their patients before surgery and that helps speed up the recovery process as well.
