SALT LAKE CITY--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Alliance Health Networks, the leading social networking company serving consumers and the healthcare industry, today announced its sponsorship of 35 ePatient scholarships for the 2012 Medicine X conference at the Stanford University School of Medicine. The scholarships, granted by Medicine X, provide the funds needed for these ePatientshighly informed and engaged patients who make significant use of online resources to track and manage their healthto attend the 2012 Medicine X conference in September.

Medicine X is a catalyst for new ideas about the future of medicine and healthcare, and is designed to explore the potential of social media and information technology to advance the practice of medicine, improve health, and empower patients to be active participants in their own care. The Medicine X conference aims to bring a broad academic approach to understanding emerging technologies with the potential to improve health and advance the practice of medicine.

Medicine X is an academic conference designed for everyone, said Dr. Larry Chu, associate professor of anesthesia at Stanford and executive director of the conference. And, through our scholarship program, 10 percent of the seats are being given for free to patients. We hope this will unite patients with healthcare providers, researchers and technologists to solve healthcare problems.

Alliance Health sponsored the ePatient scholarship program to help bring an active patient voice to the Medicine X conference. The company owns and operates more than 50 specific social health networks such as Diabetic Connect, Heart Connect, Sleep Connect and Arthritis Connect, among others that connect more than 1.5 million registered patients and caregivers to each other and to valuable condition-specific information.

The ePatient perspective is critical when exploring the new shape of healthcare, and Alliance Health is thrilled to provide the means for these 35 individuals to lend their voices to the conversation, said Stead Burwell, CEO of Alliance Health Networks. As a health-based social engagement platform, we know firsthand that people are using social networks to manage their health journey in ways that were never imagined even just a few years ago. We are happy to partner with Stanford Medicine X to help propel this important healthcare discussion forward.

Applicants for the scholarship had to demonstrate a history of patient engagement, community outreach and advocacy, with a preference given to individuals using emerging technologies such as blogs, Twitter, and social media to pursue these goals. Scholarship recipients will have the opportunity to participate both as attendees and speakers, and will also be given the chance to contribute to a patient-centered design project facilitated by the health and wellness team at the international design firm IDEO.

Under the direction of Chu, Medicine X is a project of the Stanford AIM (Anesthesia Informatics and Media) Lab. The 2012 Medicine X Conference will be held September 28-30.

About Alliance Health Networks

Alliance Health Networks is building a free and independent social engagement platform that gives people the power to navigate their personal health journey. The company owns and operates more than 50 social networks and 20 mobile versions serving over 1.5 million registered members. Alliance Health leverages social networks to help consumers more actively manage their care through personal connections, powerful tools, and deeper insights. The company's investors include New World Ventures, Physic Ventures, Highway 12 Ventures, and EPIC Ventures. For more information, visit: http://www.alliancehealthnetworks.com.

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Alliance Health Networks Announces Sponsorship of 35 Stanford Medicine X ePatient Scholarships