Help
What is theStatus.com?
theStatus.com is an easy to use, private and secure, interactive Internet communication tool for patients, their family, and friends. You create your own personal web page!
- Easy-to-use: To create a page, all you need to know is how to type, and how to move and click on a mouse. That's it!
- Interactive: You can continually keep others updated on how you, a family member, or a friend is doing. Family and friends can log in, view updates and photos, leave messages, and more.
- Accessible: You can visit the patient page from any computer or other device that has Internet access.
- Private: All pages are accessible by invitation only. Just enter the email addresses of the those you want to view your page and they will be sent an invitation (registration with theStatus.com is required to view any patient page).
Why was theStatus.com created?
theStatus.com was created when Mark Pearson, the company founder, set up a web site for his sister-in-law after she was hospitalized. Mark created the page because 'Mary' needed a way to communicate with family and friends, without burdening herself or her close family. It became the main source of information, allowing Mary to spend less time responding to inquiries and more time recovering. Family and friends could get the latest update on her condition, see pictures of her, and get important contact information. The response was phenomenal.
When Mark began receiving requests from friends to set up pages for other people, he decided to create theStatus.com. Patients could now create their own pages with easy-to-use templates.
What is on a patient's page?
A page includes information about the patient, contact information, the latest news, a photo gallery, a message board, quotes, and important links. You can view a sample page by clicking here.
What are the rules?
We know that staying in touch with family and friends during an illness is important for patients, and theStatus.com offers a unique opportunity to do this. Our service has helped many patients to remain in touch with loved ones, while keeping everyone informed of important news.
All children under the age of 13 are required to have parental consent to create a web page on theStatus.com. Please read our Children's Privacy Policy for more information.
Because the information on the patient pages is of a very personal nature, we have set up guidelines for all users to protect their privacy. It is important to respect the privacy of the staff members at the medical facility, as well as the privacy of other patients. Personal information, such as names, addresses, email addresses, and photos, posted on the website should consist only of the patient, close family, and friends. Personal information of other patients or medical staff should not be posted on patient web pages. We also ask that users refrain from using any language that is vulgar or poor in taste.
Please read our Terms of Use prior to using this service for the complete rules and guidelines for using theStatus.com.
How private and secure is my Page?
Page access: All pages on theStatus.com are accessible by invitation only. The page administator(s) controls who has access to view the page, who has access to invite others to view the page, and who can edit the page's content.
Overall security: Your data is protected as it travels to our servers over the Internet by "secure socket layer" encryption (SSL). When your data reaches our servers, it is protected by a firewall (which protects against unauthorized visitors, i.e., "hackers").
Our company respects your privacy, and we are dedicated to protecting it. We will not provide your information to others. Furthermore, if you believe someone has managed to access and tamper with your site, please contact us right away and we will investigate the matter immediately.
Is it free?
Yes, theStatus.com is free for patients, their family, and friends, with no strings attached. The site is funded by private donations and organizational sponsorships.
While I'm at the hospital, will I have internet access?
Ask around. It varies. Many hospitals have Internet and email facilities on site, or at the hospital-sponsored hotels for their out-of-town outpatients.
Please do not expect care facilities to let you use their work computers. It is absolutely essential for hospital staff to respond quickly to the needs of their patients. Their computers are their tools, and they never know when they might need access to them.
How do I create a page?
- Click on the "Create a New Page" link in the top navigation bar.
- If you are not logged in, you will be redirected to the login screen where you can either log in with your email address and password or sign up for an account. Once you are logged in, you will need to enter the patient's name, a sponsor code (optional), and verify that you have the patient's permission and have read the Terms of Use.
- Click "CREATE YOUR WEB PAGE" at the bottom of the form to start the page setup wizard that will guide you through the rest of the process. Please read our Privacy Policy prior to creating a page.
The process takes less than 10 minutes on average. Keep in mind that you can change page's contents at any point in the future.
What if I can't create or maintain a page?
If you are not feeling well enough to keep your page up, you are not alone. We recommend that you ask a family member or friend who keeps in close contact with you to be your page administrator. In fact, we encourage this for everybody!
Page administrators can relieve a lot of pressure from you and your close family. We know some page administrators use the message board to ask for help, something you might be hesitant to do. Examples are "Who can bring dinner to the house on Saturday? Call me at 522-2678" or "Can someone watch the children from 2 to 4?" or even "Does anyone have extra frequent flier miles?" It is often easier for a third party to see the need AND to ask for the help.
Page administrators play an important role. They help keep family and friends informed of a patient's status, as well as deliver the important messages of support and encouragement received on the patient's site. It is important for page administrators to read the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy prior to setting up a page on theStatus.com.
What are sponsor codes?
Each of our sponsors has a unique code. If you are creating a page from a sponsored medical facility or organization you will want to obtain that unique code before creating your page. On the page creation screen you will be prompted for a sponsor code. You can also enter a sponsor code after you have created a page by clicking the "Sponsorship" link on the page edit screen.
If you are not from a sponsored medical facility or organization, you can leave this blank.
What if I have forgotten my password?
From the login screen, enter your email and click the "Forgot Password?" link directly below the "LOGIN" button. This will send you an email with a link to reset your password.
How long can my site remain on theStatus.com?
For as long as you'd like. If you have a sponsored site, your sponsor may ask us to remove your page from their sponsorship a certain period after your release from the hospital. We will continue this free service to you, simply removing the sponorship from your page.