HCI Receives Small Business Research Grant from NIH

MINNEAPOLIS, MN—September 1, 2003. HealthCare Interactive, Inc’s (HCI) has received a one-year Phase I grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop a dementia-related training prototype for Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

The research grant will be completed together with researchers from the University of Minnesota School of Nursing and the national office of the Alzheimer’s Association. Once the prototype is completed, the research team at HCI, the University, and the Alzheimer’s Association will evaluate the prototype’s feasibility with CNAs nationwide. If successful, HCI will be eligible to apply to NIH for a longer Phase II grant in order to finish production of the training program.

The Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) grant program was originally authorized by Congress in 1987 and was subsequently reauthorized in 1997. Federal departments that receive more than $100 million of extramural research and development funds (such as the departments of Defense, Education, Energy, Health and Human Services, etc.) are required by law to reserve 2.5% of these funds for small businesses.

According to HCI President, John Hobday, “The intention of the SBIR program is to allow small businesses to compete for research funds typically only available to large governmental contractors. Interestingly, the return on investment with small businesses has been shown to be well worth the investment, often developing comparable technologies as are developed by large governmental contractors for a fraction of the cost.”

Specific information about this effort or for general information about HealthCare Interactive, visit www.hcinteractive.com, or call 952-848-8091.