Avantas, a leading provider of strategic labor management technology, services and strategies for the healthcare industry, today announced that it has implemented the full suite of customer service support applications from PhaseWare, Inc. as part of its ongoing efforts to set the standard for the best customer service support in the industry. All Avantas clients using Smart Square®, the industry’s only complete, end-to-end labor management solution developed by healthcare professionals for healthcare professionals, will now be supported by the PhaseWare Tracker™ Solution Suite, a customer service and support software application that provides greater transparency into the customer service process with centralized customer support information and live ticket tracking.

Leading Labor Management Company Continues to Raise the Bar for Customer Support by Implementing Best in Class Customer Service Software that Enables Greater Transparency, Enhanced Operational Efficiencies, and Streamlined Communication

OMAHA, Neb. – May, 2012 – Avantas, a leading provider of strategic labor management technology, services and strategies for the healthcare industry, today announced that it has implemented the full suite of customer service support applications from PhaseWare, Inc. as part of its ongoing efforts to set the standard for the best customer service support in the industry.  All Avantas clients using Smart Square®, the industry’s only complete, end-to-end labor management solution developed by healthcare professionals for healthcare professionals, will now be supported by the PhaseWare Tracker™ Solution Suite, a customer service and support software application that provides greater transparency into the customer service process with centralized customer support information and live ticket tracking.

“At Avantas, we are not only committed to providing our clients with the industry’s most robust labor management software, but we have also built a strong reputation for  supporting our solutions with the most comprehensive and collaborative technology available as evidenced by this partnership with PhaseWare. By embedding PhaseWare’s application suite into our software, we are ensuring that our customers will receive reliable, complete, and timely customer service support 24/7/365,” said Jackie Larson, Vice President of Client Services, Avantas. “With our flexible SaaS-based software, we are able to integrate PhaseWare’s best practices into Smart Square, ensuring that our entire client base immediately benefits from PhaseWare’s transparency and efficiency.”

Avantas implemented the entire PhaseWare Tracker Solution Suite which includes: ticket tracking and management capabilities to enable complete transparency into the incident resolution status; workflow automation to enable greater efficiency and communications between departments; reporting functionality to track customer service issues, progress and resolution; and automated alerts that escalate incidents according to predetermined and customizable business rules. The application suite also enables Smart Square users to standardize and monitor communications between departments.

“Avantas has done a great job of integrating the PhaseWare application suite into its business process.  We are excited to have Avantas as part of the PhaseWare family and look forward to a long-term relationship,” said Hoyt Mann, President, PhaseWare, Inc.

About PhaseWare, Inc.

PhaseWare, Inc. is headquartered in McKinney, TX. The company provides customer service and support software solutions optimized for the small to enterprise business. PhaseWare Tracker and Self Service Center provides incident management process automation, incident tracking, and resolution of trouble tickets from origin to close, plus self-service and live chat customer service and support options.

About Avantas

Avantas is an Omaha, Neb.-based company devoted to serving the healthcare industry.  Its proprietary scheduling and productivity solution, Smart Square®, is the only comprehensive labor management platform developed by healthcare professionals for healthcare professionals. Additionally, its consultation services provide its clients tailored best practice labor management strategies designed to drive substantial and sustaining cost and quality improvements across the enterprise. For more information, please visit the Avantas website at www.Avantas.biz.

“…with regard to scan credibility, the MSI sensor is certainly the best we’ve seen!” —Benchmark magazine, May 2012

ALBUQUERQUE, NM – May 15, 2012 – Lumidigm today announced that Benchmark magazine, after conducting a competitive test of fingerprint readers, concluded, “use of the MSI technology, and the consistency with which it performed in conditions that would see other units simply fail really does set the [Lumidigm] technology apart from its peers.”

The May 2012 article in the British journal begins, “One of the biggest issues with biometrics-based fingerprint readers is that many models will struggle to obtain a clear and usable scan if the digit being presented is damp, dirty or damaged.  This is because most sensors rely on an optical scan only.  However, multispectral imaging (MSI) [from Lumidigm] can provide a more robust solution.”

Lumidigm partner Ievo™ submitted its Ultimate™ reader with the Lumidigm sensor for the Benchmark test. Ievo Managing Director Shaun Oakes reports, “Benchmark is known for its rigorous testing methods and independent reviews. We welcomed the opportunity to show what the superior Lumidigm technology brings to our fingerprint reader and to our customers.”

“This review verifies for many people what we already knew from field experience,” asserts Lumidigm Vice President, Transaction Systems Bill Spence.  “Now, independent testing confirms the superior fingerprint reading capabilities that Lumidigm technology brings to any application.  Customers expect better performance now and Lumidigm is providing it.”

A video of the reviewed product, available at www.lumidigm.com/video-fingerprint-reader-put-to-the-test/, demonstrates the fingerprint reader being subjected to various real world conditions, including damp and wet, dry and dirty. Lumidigm technology extracts unique fingerprint characteristics from both the surface and subsurface of the skin, allowing results that are more consistent, more inclusive and more tamper resistant than conventional technologies.

About Benchmark

Benchmark is a monthly publication dedicated to security technology. The only publication of its type, Benchmark is totally focused on delivering tests, assessments and reviews of products, systems and technologies. It has been designed solely for the needs of security installers, system integrators, specifiers, consultants and security managers involved in making buying decisions relating to products and systems. Benchmark is the fastest growing publication in the security market today!

About Ievo

Leveraging over a decade of biometric experience, Ievo develops biometric solutions for the access control market.  Their background has driven them to consider all aspects of biometric installation in the design of their products, from the specification process and installation all the way through to the end user experience. The newest offering delivers a minimalist, reliable and fit-for-purpose solution that allows seamless integration and works alongside currently installed systems using card/fob/PINs, as opposed to looking to replace whole systems.  Ievo ensures that the best sensor is used and all other components are of the highest quality possible, including the world’s leading algorithm.  Coupled with its low cost, the Ievo solution takes biometrics into new markets that have previously withdrawn from or have not been suitable for biometrics due to the low quality of traditional products.  Located in the United Kingdom, Ievo readers are currently available direct to trade customers in the UK and globally.

About Lumidigm

Lumidigm Inc., a global authentication solutions company, is dedicated to enabling convenient, secure, and reliable identification of people, products and credentials.  Lumidigm’s multispectral imaging technology and innovative software work in real world applications for those customers that need to know “who” or “what” to a high degree of certainty.  Headquartered in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Lumidigm’s biometric fingerprint sensors and optically enhanced machine vision solutions have met the needs of customers across the globe for physical and logical access control in markets such as banking, healthcare, entertainment and theme parks, and government and civil ID.  Lumidigm and our strategic partners are working on solutions for industrial, commercial, and transportation applications.  For more information, visit www.lumidigm.com.

Horsham, Pa. – May 15, 2012 – NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Quality Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: QSII) and a leading provider of healthcare information systems and connectivity solutions, today announced a new agreement with Norton Sound Health Corporation (NSHC) to deploy NextGen® Ambulatory EHR, NextGen® Practice Management, NextGen® Inpatient Solutions, and other NextGen® solutions throughout the organization. This agreement further strengthens NextGen Healthcare’s position as one of the leading providers of information technology (IT) solutions for tribal health services nationwide.

Headquartered in Nome, Alaska, NSHC serves the Bering Strait region in the northwestern part of the state. The network has a health center in each of the 15 remote villages throughout the region, and implementation of NextGen Healthcare technologies will further ensure consistent care across the region.

Currently, providers at the village health centers rely on the Alaska Community Health Aid Practitioner Manual (CHAM) to aid in diagnoses, which is not integrated with any electronic health records (EHR) system. The implementation of NextGen Ambulatory EHR allows NSHC to use customized templates for the top 20 diagnoses and procedures outlined in the CHAM.

Additionally, NSHC is slated to expand its patient services by opening an 18-bed hospital in November that will provide the region with increased out-patient services in dental, audiology, behavioral health and ophthalmology care. When the facility opens, it will use NextGen Healthcare’s inpatient product line, including NextGen® Inpatient Clinicals and NextGen® Inpatient Financials, to create a seamless care continuum across the enterprise. This solution, combined with the technology NSHC is currently implementing, lays the groundwork for physicians to easily communicate and work with the new facility to improve patient care.

“Our organization sought a high level of customization and flexibility in an EHR and practice management system, and we had a short timeframe to find and implement a system – especially as we prepare to open the new hospital later this year, “said Dave Hodges, chief information officer at NSHC. “NextGen Healthcare understood and met our challenge by working closely with us to address our specific needs and deadlines. We are confident that implementing NextGen’s leading solutions will not only help us attest for Meaningful Use, but also improve the connectivity and communications between physicians, patients and our entire health system.”

NextGen Practice Management will further aid in increasing productivity by eliminating the current paper-based record keeping systems. Providers will use mobile devices to remotely access patient records, which will improve connectivity and real-time response rates, especially in emergency situations.

“Our health system covers a very large area with many remote villages that are hard to reach, so having accessible technology that makes it easier for doctors to respond quickly to patients is imperative,” said Deven Parlikar, president and CEO of NSHC. “Our patients have always been our top priority, so being able to provide the latest technology will help us to provide the highest level of care.”

“NSHC has had the distinct, ongoing challenge of serving patients throughout northern Alaska, which requires solutions that will help optimize the delivery of patient care and better communicate across the organization,” said Scott Decker, president of NextGen Healthcare. “We remain committed to serving tribal and urban groups throughout the nation, and providing tools to customize our broad technology platform to fit each organization’s specific needs so they can successfully serve their respective communities. This flexibility within our solutions portfolio is among the key advantages of the diverse NextGen platform.”

About Norton Sound Health Corporation

Norton Sound Health Corporation (NSHC) was founded in 1970 and is a Tribally owned and operated, independent, not-for-profit health care organization that represents all communities and areas of the Bering Strait region, a 44,000 square-mile section of northwestern Alaska. NSHC is quickening the pace of positive change by refocusing its system to put patients, clients, and communities first. NSHC’s mission is to “Provide quality health services and promoting wellness within our people and environment.” For more information, visit http://www.nortonsoundhealth.org.

About NextGen Healthcare

NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Quality Systems, Inc., provides integrated clinical, financial and connectivity solutions for ambulatory, inpatient and dental provider organizations. For more information, please visit www.nextgen.com and www.qsii.com. Follow NextGen Healthcare on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nextgen or Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/NextGenHealthcare.

A revolutionary VAD Center integrated process management solution

OMAHA, Nebraska (May 15, 2012) – OTTR™ Chronic Care Solutions, an Omaha-based clinical process management and informatics company, announced that they have signed an agreement with Hartford Hospital to use the OTTR™ Transplant Care Platform. Hartford Hospital is comprehensively using these OTTR Chronic Care Solutions’ modules and interfaces:  Heart, Liver, Kidney, VAD, Financial/Insurance, Lab, ADT, SCM, CLP Lab, Allscripts™, Quest, and Heart Demographics.

Part of the OTTR™ Transplant Care Platform includes the use of the TRA module – Transplant Registry Assistant. Hartford will utilize the TRA module to complete and send transplant recipient registry forms to United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). Furthermore, Hartford will enhance overall productivity by utilizing OTTR Interoperability tools such as external lab integration, transcription, and more.

As a Certified Destination VAD Center, Hartford will use OTTR^™Chronic Care Solutions’ newest module OTTRVAD™. The module is designed to facilitate the management of a heart patient from the point of referral for a Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) and continue through post-implant follow-up.  OTTRVAD™ also tracks and assists with VAD-related device and equipment management, registry, and compliance reporting.

“This is a very helpful resource that allows us to even better serve our patients,” said Dr. David Hull, Director Emeritus Hartford Hospital Transplant Program.

Hartford is one of the first hospitals in the nation to use OTTRVAD™ to track their heart patients. Hartford will use OTTRVAD™ and the OTTR™ Transplant Care Platform to integrate with their existing EMR.

About Hartford Hospital

Founded in 1854, Hartford Hospital was the first hospital to be built in Hartford, Connecticut. The Hartford Hospital Transplant Program began in 1971 with the first kidney transplant in the state. In 1984, Hartford performed the state’s first successful heart transplant and the hospital’s first liver transplant. About two hundred fifty transplants have been performed at Hartford Hospital since 1984. Hartford Hospital is the major teaching hospital affiliated with the University of Connecticut Medical School.

About OTTR™ Chronic Care Solutions

Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, OTTR™ Chronic Care Solutions develops unique state-of-the-art software products that improve the quality of patient care, workflow management, and operational efficiencies for the healthcare industry. The Company’s premier product, OTTR™, was developed as a break-through patient tracking application and clinical information system (CIS) developed specifically for solid organ transplant centers. OTTR™ has been extended to support bone marrow transplant (BMT), stem cell, ventricular assist devices (VAD), and bariatric surgery.

ProVation® Order Sets solution will deliver clinical decision support to MEDITECH users

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – May 16, 2012 – Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information for healthcare professionals and students, announced today that it has signed an agreement with MEDITECH to offer integration between MEDITECH version 5.64 (Client/Server and MAGIC) and ProVation® Order Sets, powered by UpToDate® Decision Support. This integration enables hospitals to author order sets via the ProVation software, then make finished order sets available to physicians in MEDITECH’s Physician Care Manager application through an automated process.

ProVation Order Sets, powered by UpToDate Decision Support, is an easily customizable order set authoring and management solution that provides flexible integration into clinical processes to streamline the delivery of standardized care for improved patient safety, outcomes, clinician performance and regulatory compliance. ProVation Order Sets is built upon ProVation Medical’s award-winning, clinician-designed technology platform. A key benefit is continuous updating of clinical content and medical evidence, including direct links to UpToDate, the resource of choice for more than 600,000 users worldwide.

MEDITECH provides integrated EHR solutions to meet the information needs of healthcare organizations around the world. A global leader in the electronic healthcare records industry, MEDITECH understands the complexities of healthcare organizations and develops the informatics tools needed to deliver patient care safely and efficiently. From large integrated delivery networks to community hospitals, MEDITECH EHR solutions support the entire continuum of healthcare, including physician practices, clinics, hospitals, home health agencies, long-term care and behavioral health facilities.

“The greatest benefits of the integration with our MEDITECH and ProVation Order Set systems are the direct linking to evidence from UpToDate and the timely updates to links and evidence,” said Pam Wetzel, M.D., CMIO, SwedishAmerican Hospital. “The overall effect is increased usability of both systems, and the assurance that our orders can be maintained based on a trusted and relevant source of evidence.”

MEDITECH and Wolters Kluwer Health completed integration work through a collaborative effort that utilized MEDITECH’s interface specifications.  Integration capability has been client tested, with users successfully exporting order sets from ProVation into MEDITECH Client/Server and MAGIC version 5.64.

“MEDITECH is a recognized leader in CPOE, and an integral part of the health IT plans of our many joint hospital clients,” said Mike Haldane, Vice President and General Manager, Clinical Documentation, Wolters Kluwer Health Clinical Solutions.  “We are very pleased to have completed this integration with MEDITECH’s Physician Care Manager.”

About ProVation Medical

ProVation^® Medical provides procedure documentation and clinical decision support solutions for hospitals and Ambulatory Surgery Centers. ProVation MD, ProVation MultiCaregiver and ProVation EHR software reduce transcription, paper storage and image printing costs and deliver a high Return on Investment (ROI). ProVation^® Order Sets, powered by UpToDate Decision Support, put evidence-based healthcare into practice by establishing and maintaining standards of care.

ProVation^® Medical is part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading global provider of information, business intelligence and point-of-care solutions for the healthcare industry. Wolters Kluwer Health is part of Wolters Kluwer, a market-leading global information services company with 2011 annual revenues of €3.4 billion ($4.7 billion).

About MEDITECH

MEDITECH has been the leader in the EHR industry since 1969. MEDITECH’s applications unify clinical, administrative, and financial information across the healthcare continuum, including acute care, long-term care, home health care, and physician practices. Today, more than 2,300 institutions worldwide use MEDITECH’s information systems. For additional information on MEDITECH products and services, visit www.meditech.com.

VitalHealth Software, a leading global provider of web-based solutions for health management established by Mayo Clinic and the Noaber Foundation, today announced that Blair Butterfield has joined the company as President of its North American division. Butterfield joins VitalHealth at a time of rapidly increasing demand for the company’s platform and application solutions.

Next-Generation eHealth solutions provider announces Blair Butterfield as President to lead US growth and expansion

Milwaukee, WI —May 15, 2012—VitalHealth Software, a leading global provider of web-based solutions for health management established by Mayo Clinic and the Noaber Foundation, today announced that Blair Butterfield has joined the company as President of its North American division. With over 20 years of management experience in new market and business development, strategic marketing, product strategy and government initiatives related to healthcare information technology, Mr. Butterfield will expand the company infrastructure and lead all operations in the US and Canada.  Butterfield joins VitalHealth at a time of rapidly increasing demand for the company’s platform and application solutions.

“As a result of ongoing healthcare reforms and government initiatives related to healthcare IT, VitalHealth is experiencing unprecedented growth and demand for our high-quality health management solutions in the U.S.,” said VitalHealth CEO, Laurens Van Der Tang. “As we continue to advance our business and solidify our position in the marketplace, we need proven healthcare IT executives to lead the organization. Blair was selected to run our North American business because of his extensive global industry experience and because he understands how to manage growth and implement effective business strategies. We firmly believe that he will be a fundamental asset in our efforts to meet the increased demand for our eHealth solutions.”

Prior to joining VitalHealth, Butterfield held various senior management positions at GE Healthcare IT. In his most recent role, Butterfield was vice president of eHealth International Development, where he led multiple teams on high-profile multi-million dollar initiatives in the U.S., Canada, Europe, the Middle East, China and the Asia Pacific. While at GE he also served two terms on the Board of Directors and Leadership Council of the eHealth Initiative, a Washington, DC based non-profit organization that plays a key role in national health IT advocacy and policy development. Other positions held at GE include: general manager of eHealth Global Marketing, vice president of Connectivity Solutions and general manager of Government Initiatives. He also established and managed an advisory board of ehealth leaders to guide business and product strategy at GE.

Prior to working at GE, Butterfield held senior positions at IDX Systems Corporation, including responsibility for developing government initiatives as well as commercial roles in the Imaging Solutions division. Earlier in his career, he served on the leadership team at Vital Images, Inc and as President of a boutique health IT consulting firm. Butterfield is a frequent invited speaker at global and national health IT events where he shares his expertise in ehealth, health information exchange (HIE), interoperable EHRs, personal health records, 3-D imaging, and image-guided surgery.

About VitalHealth Software

VitalHealth Software delivers web-based software solutions for health management.  The model-driven software platform is used by a growing network of partners.  VitalHealth Software has offices in the U.S., Netherlands and India.  For more information, please visit www.vitalhealthsoftware.com.

Largest Integrated Health Care System in IL Provides Interoperable Cardiology Image Exchange Across 3,200 Bed Network

CHICAGO, May 15, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Merge Healthcare Incorporated (Nasdaq:MRGE), a leading provider of enterprise imaging and interoperability solutions, today announced that Advocate Health Care, one of the nation’s top 10 health care systems,* will implement Merge’s complete cardiology solution suite to capture, manage and display cardiac images, and hemodynamics and ECG data across its enterprise of more than 250 care sites, including 10 acute-care hospitals and two integrated children’s hospitals.

“Advocate is an example for others to follow as they’ve set in place a strategy that promotes the sharing of images and information across their enterprise,” said Jeff Surges, CEO, Merge Healthcare. “They are taking the critically important step of providing physicians with access to images and information regardless of their location. With this type of ‘anywhere, any time’ access to images and information, they’re delivering on a plan that will help improve the healthcare experience for patients and physicians.”

“There are a number of reasons Advocate partnered with Merge Healthcare,” said Dr. Lee Sacks, Executive Vice President, Chief Medical Officer, Advocate Health Care. “We valued their approach because it is a true partnership. That’s something we believe is key to long-term success. Second, their solutions are highly-respected by users. For example, Merge Hemo is ranked #1 by KLAS (an organization that measures customers’ product perceptions). Earning a designation like that says a lot about their commitment to excellence.”

“As a cardiologist, I need to have immediate access to a patient’s complete cardiology record to ensure I make the most informed medical decisions,” said Dr. Vincent Bufalino, Advocate Health Care. “With Merge’s solutions, I can see cardiology images wherever I am – whether I’m at the hospital, in my office, or even at a remote location. Having this type of access is immensely beneficial.”

Advocate selected the full suite of Merge Cardiology Solutions for its ability to help improve workflow and enhance patient care. With Merge Cardio, patient information is integrated from different sources into a centralized web-based system. As a result, cardiologists can quickly access their patient’s complete cardiology file from a single point (including the EMR), generate a report, and distribute it in a single session—even if they are at a remote location.

With the simplified reporting tools inherent to Merge Cardio, physicians can now get information and reports faster, and in a more consistent manner. And with its integration with the industry’s top EMRs, that information can be accessed timely and securely regardless of location.

The Merge Cardiology suite includes Merge Cardio™, an enterprise-level image and information system; Merge Hemo™, a catheterization laboratory knowledge tool for data collection, analysis and reporting (ranked #1 by KLAS); iConnect® Access, a zero-download DICOM image and XDS viewer; and iConnect® Share, an Internet-based gateway for image sharing.

*Based on clinical performance by Thomson Reuters

About Merge Healthcare

Merge Healthcare is a leading provider of enterprise imaging and interoperability solutions. Merge solutions facilitate the sharing of images to create a more effective and efficient electronic healthcare experience for patients and physicians. Merge provides enterprise imaging solutions for radiology, cardiology, orthopaedics and eye care; electronic health record and practice management solutions for image-intensive specialties; a suite of products for clinical trials; software for financial and pre-surgical management; applications that fuel the largest modality vendors in the world, and a network of patient-centric, wellness stations. Merge’s products have been used by healthcare providers, vendors and researchers worldwide to improve patient care for more than 20 years.

The Merge Healthcare logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=10757

About Advocate Health Care

Advocate Health Care, one of the nation’s top health systems, based on clinical performance, is the largest health system in Illinois and one of the largest health care providers in the Midwest. Advocate operates more than 250 sites of care, including 10 acute care hospitals, two integrated children’s hospitals, five Level I trauma centers, two Level II trauma centers, one of the area’s largest home health care companies and one of the region’s largest medical groups. Advocate Health Care trains more primary care physicians and residents at its three major teaching hospitals than any other health system in the state.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – May 14, 2012 – Mosaica Partners, a nationally recognized health information consulting and advisory firm, has been selected to assist the State of Arizona in updating its health information exchange (HIE) strategic and operations plans.

Arizona selected Mosaica Partners for the firm’s HIE expertise, knowledge of the State HIE Collaborative Agreement Program (SHIECAP) and prior experience in working with the state. Previously, Mosaica Partners assisted Arizona in developing a state grant program to support the planning of regional health information organizations (RHIOs) and assisted each of the six grant awardees during their planning process. The firm also wrote the State of Arizona’s RHIO Formation Guide.

“Arizona is making significant progress in enabling statewide exchange of health information, and it’s important that the strategic and operational plans accurately reflect that activity,” said Laura Kolkman, RN, MS, FHIMSS, president of Mosaica Partners. “We’re honored that Arizona has chosen us to help with this important step, and it’s a pleasure to be working with the state once again.”

The state’s initial plans, which outlined Arizona’s approach to utilizing $9.3 million in federal funds to enable the exchange of health information within the state, were submitted to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and subsequently approved in March 2011 by the Office of the National Coordinator of Health Information Technology (ONC). Under the terms of SHIECAP, Arizona and other participants must submit annual HIE plan updates to HHS for approval.

The updated plans will form the basis for coordinating and communicating Arizona’s progress in adopting health information technology and facilitating information exchange with the federal government, various state agencies, healthcare providers throughout the state and consumers.

In addition to having deep experience in HIE planning, formation and operations, Kolkman and Bob Brown, Mosaica’s vice president of professional services, co-authored The Health Information Exchange Formation Guide: The Authoritative Guide for Planning and Forming an HIE in Your State, Region, or Community. The book, considered by many to be the essential guide to HIE planning, was named 2011 Book of the Year by the Healthcare Information Management and Systems Society (HIMSS). The guide is available for purchase in the HIMSS online store and as a HIMSS eBook.

About Mosaica Partners

Mosaica Partners (www.mosaicapartners.com) is a nationally recognized management consulting and advisory firm providing strategy, business planning, development and process optimization services related to health information exchange (HIE). Mosaica provides its services to the federal government, states, regions, communities, HIE/HIT vendors and numerous organizations that collect, manage and share health information.

Twelve Radiology and Orthopaedic Practices, Representing Almost 200 Physicians, Select Merge to Achieve Meaningful Use

CHICAGO, May 14, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Merge Healthcare Inc. (Nasdaq:MRGE), a leading provider of enterprise imaging and interoperability solutions, announced the addition of twelve practices to its growing list of clients who have selected its complete and fully-certified EHR solution to achieve Meaningful Use (MU). More than 89 clients, representing more than 850 physicians, now utilize Merge MU solutions.

“Meaningful Use is the basis for health information exchange in the U.S. and will become the core workflow for physicians,” said Jeff Surges, CEO of Merge Healthcare. ”With the recently proposed Stage 2 requirements that focus heavily on the viewing of diagnostic images, it’s clear that specialties like radiology and orthopaedics are very much so included in Meaningful Use. Now is the time for specialty physicians to adopt a Meaningful Use strategy so they can qualify for Stage 1 funding, while preparing for Stage 2.”

“While there are financial reasons to focus on Meaningful Use, the driver for us is that it is going to build a foundation upon which we can provide even better care to our patients,” said Ellis Keitt, Administrator, Radiology Associates, LLP. ”With Merge RIS™, we are going to be able to collect and share valuable information, automatically trend clinical data and report on MU measures.”

Merge RIS v7.0 provides a radiology-specific EHR with complete certification that enables radiologists to capture and report on the metrics required to demonstrate Meaningful Use of electronic health records, without disrupting their traditional workflow. With Merge RIS v7.0, radiologists can qualify to receive up to $44,000 in stimulus incentives, per eligible provider, and more importantly, avoid future penalties that will come from not meeting Meaningful Use.

Merge RIS v7.0 functionality includes ePrescribing, enhanced reporting that enables physicians to automatically trend clinical data and report on Meaningful Use measures, new clinical decision support, the clinical exchange of health information through industry standard formats, and a patient portal that empowers patients to access their records at their convenience. This new functionality was built natively within the intuitive, web-based Merge RIS so that any radiology practice can achieve Meaningful Use attestation in a manner that works for their specialty.

“With Merge OrthoEMR™ we can meet Meaningful Use criteria and earn stimulus incentives,” said Vickie Shuler, Clinic Administrator, Western Carolina Orthopaedic Specialists. “Using Merge OrthoEMR also means we’ll avoid financial penalties that are coming to those not using MU-certified solutions. The most important aspect of Merge OrthoEMR for us is that it will help us provide better care, streamline our workflow and improve operational efficiencies.”

Merge OrthoEMR has received complete EHR Ambulatory certification and provides orthopaedic physicians the tools needed to achieve Meaningful Use and qualify for incentive funds. By providing instant access to images at all locations, Merge’s OrthoEMR eliminates the need for transporting images, improves workflow and speeds patient care.

In addition to Merge OrthoEMR, Merge provides an integrated suite of products developed for the specific needs of the orthopaedic practice, from patient information to image management including digital templating. Developed by orthopaedic specialists, our systems and tools mirror charting and patient care today, increasing the long-term adoptability and satisfaction of users. Plus, with imaging and data sharing they promote interoperability, without forcing conformance to non-specialty hospital-based solutions.

About Merge Healthcare

Merge Healthcare is a leading provider of enterprise imaging and interoperability solutions. Merge solutions facilitate the sharing of images to create a more effective and efficient electronic healthcare experience for patients and physicians. Merge provides enterprise imaging solutions for radiology, cardiology, orthopaedics and eye care; electronic health record and practice management solutions for image-intensive specialties; a suite of products for clinical trials; software for financial and pre-surgical management; applications that fuel the largest modality vendors in the world, and a network of patient-centric, wellness stations. Merge’s products have been used by healthcare providers, vendors and researchers worldwide to improve patient care for more than 20 years. For more information, visit www.merge.com.

LA JOLLA, CA – Perminova, developer of web-based information systems for cardiology centers, has launched a strategic alliance with LifeWatch, the leading wireless cardiac monitoring service provider in the United States, to expand interoperability between medical monitoring devices and information technology in cardiac electrophysiology.

Under the arrangement, Perminova EP, the information system designed for electrophysiology, will integrate reports from LifeWatch’s cardiac monitoring and telemetry products directly into Perminova’s cloud-based system. This will provide physicians, nurses, technologists and other staff with a single source for patient information. Future development will also allow clinicians to order LifeWatch cardiac monitoring studies directly from Perminova systems.

The integration process begins with data uploading from a patient prescribed with one of LifeWatch’s suite of advanced ambulatory cardiac telemetry and standard cardiac event monitors to the LifeWatch data center. The LifeWatch data center then pushes the data to Perminova’s database to be matched with patients’ individual files. From there, the data is used by EP lab clinicians and becomes part of the health system’s electronic medical record. This entire process is electronic, greatly reducing the risk of human error.

“The strategic relationship between Perminova and LifeWatch creates important benefits for patients and healthcare systems,” said Craig K. Collins, President and CEO of Perminova. “On a daily basis, it will streamline workflow and improve patient safety in cardiac procedures. In a larger sense, medical device integration between Perminova and LifeWatch creates true interoperability, one of the primary objectives in the advancement of health information technology today.”

Said Dr. Yacov Geva, Chairman and CEO of LifeWatch AG: “Integration between medical devices and information systems is a critical next step in utilizing technology to improve patient health and safety. Medical device integration may also help relieve doctors, nurses and technologists of the burden of creating hard copy documentation, allowing them to spend more time on direct patient care.”

Perminova develops web-based cardiac information systems that manage scheduling, workflow, documentation and billing processes before, during and after cardiac procedures. Perminova’s system architecture also supports integration of medical devices and customization of robust data for research. Perminova’s web-based products are pioneering healthcare’s move from outdated client-server technology to modern-and-secure cloud computing.

LifeWatch is the nation’s leading ambulatory health monitoring services company, offering a comprehensive platform of innovative patient technologies and services that help physicians detect and analyze symptoms before they become major health problems. LifeWatch enables physicians to establish stronger connections with at-risk patients and provide better guidance to patients.

About Perminova

La Jolla, Calif.-based Perminova develops and markets web-based, cloud-based software for the nation’s leading cardiology centers. The company is pioneering healthcare’s move from outdated client-server technology to modern-and-secure cloud computing. Perminova products are electronic surgical records systems for cardiology, and they’re more robust, flexible and cost-effective than anything currently on the market. Its products improve charge-capture and efficiency, while automatically producing case reports and billing reports. Perminova seamlessly integrates with existing electronic medical records systems and deploys and upgrades easily via the web. Perminova’s architecture allows integration of medical devices and customization of robust data for medical research and clinical trials. Currently, Perminova EP is used at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York and the UC San Diego Health System.

About LifeWatch AG

LifeWatch AG, headquartered in Neuhausen am Rheinfall and listed on SIX Swiss Exchange (LIFE), Switzerland, is the leading healthcare technology and solution company, specializing in advanced telehealth systems and wireless remote patient monitoring services. LifeWatch services cater to individuals, ranging from high-risk and chronically ill patients, to consumers of health and wellness products. LifeWatch has subsidiaries in the United States, the Netherlands, Japan, the United Kingdom, Switzerland and Israel. LifeWatch AG is the parent company of LifeWatch Services Inc., a leading US-based cardiac monitoring service provider, and manufacturer of telecardiology products. LifeWatch is also introducing a new program for Home Sleep Testing of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) patients under the brand name NiteWatch.