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.

Marina Salud Hospital de Dénia achieves top-rating for paperless, digital workflows; second Stage 7 hospital in Europe.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY and DENIA, SPAIN – (May 7, 2012 ) – HIMSS Analytics Europe has announced today that the Marina Salud Hospital de Dénia in Spain has achieved Stage 7 of the Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (EMRAM). It is the first hospital in Spain and the second hospital in Europe to achieve the highest rating on HIMSS Analytics’ EMRAM scale, which evaluates the digitization level of a hospital. Stage 7 is awarded for achieving a paperless medical record environment. The Hospital de Dénia will be officially recognised for their achievements at the pan-European eHealth Week 2012 conference in Copenhagen, 7-9 May 2012.

A role model for the hospital of the future

Hospital de Dénia has implemented electronic systems for every part of the healthcare process, making it a truly paperless hospital. All the nurses and physicians document their clinical notes online, thus the latest results and impressions are available for all care givers to see instantly. The medical imaging department is completely digital making all images available online across the hospital network. Physicians enter orders electronically, supported by an intelligent clinical decision support system. A sophisticated clinical and business intelligence program enables staff to analyse care quality and efficiency, making it a ‘data driven’ organization, which is a key factor for a Stage 7 hospital.

“Spain is the country with most Stage 6 EMRAM hospitals, so it was just a question of time before we identified the first Spanish Stage 7 winner. Hospital de Dénia is a rare example of a 100% paperless hospital and is a role model for what the hospital of the future should look like. This is a milestone for healthcare in Spain and we look forward to hosting our upcoming CIO Summit in Mallorca  in November 2012, where representatives from the hospital will be talking about how they reached Stage 7”, said Uwe Buddrus, CEO, HIMSS Analytics Europe.

In Europe, Spain have the highest number of Stage 6 winners and the highest number of candidate hospitals in the pipeline to be scored. To date, 300 Spanish hospitals have participated in the HIMSS Analytics Europe survey.

“This eagerness to participate in the survey is a clear reflection of a country that wants to be a leader and transform healthcare through information technology,” said Uwe Buddrus.

Meeting the healthcare leaders at eHealth Week 2012

Representatives from Marina Salud Hospital de Dénia, together with other high-performers from the European hospital sector, will be recognized for their achievements at eHealth Week 2012 (Copenhagen, 7-9 May 2012); HIMSS Analytics Europe will host their EMRAM award dinner on Monday, May 7th.

eHealth Week is Europe’s most comprehensive event on the application of information technology in healthcare. Organised by the European Commission and HIMSS Europe, this year’s event is hosted by the Danish Presidency of the Council of the European Union. This year’s theme for the three-day main conference is the continuity of care and patient centric health services through the use of innovative eHealth solutions. The programme also includes the 10th High Level eHealth Conference 2012 aimed at health ministers, government officials and stakeholders, the HIMSS mHealth Symposium, an exhibition and a range of networking events for delegates to interact with colleagues from across Europe.

EMRAM: A road-map for digitizing hospital IT

The Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model (EMRAM) identifies the levels of electronic medical record capabilities of hospitals ranging from limited ancillary department systems through a fully paperless environment. Hospitals can be assessed for their EMRAM rating by taking part in a free survey conducted by HIMSS Analytics Europe. This collects detailed healthcare IT data and tracks the implementation and adoption of EMR applications through each stage. Final evaluation of Stage 7 status is conducted via an on-site visit. Hospitals who want to evaluate their EMRAM score should visit www.himss.eu.

About HIMSS

HIMSS is a cause-based, not-for-profit organization exclusively focused on providing global leadership for the optimal use of information technology (IT) and management systems for the betterment of healthcare. Founded 51 years ago, HIMSS and its related organizations are headquartered in Chicago with additional offices in the United States, Europe and Asia. HIMSS represents more than 44,000 individual members, of which more than two thirds work in healthcare provider, governmental and not-for-profit organizations. HIMSS also includes over 570 corporate members and more than 170 not-for-profit organizations that share our mission of transforming healthcare through the effective use of information technology and management systems. HIMSS frames and leads healthcare practices and public policy through its content expertise, professional development, research initiatives, and media vehicles designed to promote information and management systems’ contributions to improving the quality, safety, access, and cost-effectiveness of patient care. To learn more about HIMSS and to find out how to join us and our members in advancing our cause, please visit our website at www.himss.org.

The HIMSS Analytics Stage 7 award honors hospitals operating in a paperless environment and representing best practices in implementing EMR

CHICAGO (May 3, 2012) – HIMSS Analytics announced that Banner Health, headquartered in Phoenix, Ariz., has received its Stage 7 Award for 17 of its 23 hospitals, which are located in seven western states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. The Stage 7 award represents attainment of the highest level on the Electronic Medical Records Adoption Model (EMRAM), which is used to track EMR progress at hospitals and health systems.

HIMSS Analytics developed the EMR Adoption Model in 2005 as a methodology for evaluating the progress and impact of electronic medical record systems for hospitals in the HIMSS Analytics™ Database. There are eight stages (0-7) that measure a hospital’s implementation and utilization of information technology applications. The final stage, Stage 7, represents an advanced patient record environment. The validation process to confirm a hospital has reached Stage 7 includes a site visit by an executive from HIMSS Analytics and former or current chief information officers to ensure an unbiased evaluation of the Stage 7 environments.

The hospitals will be recognized at the 2013 Annual HIMSS Conference & Exhibition in New Orleans, La. on March 3-7, 2013. As of Quarter 1, 2012, Banner Health is one of only 66 U.S. facilities, or 1.2 percent, of the more than 5,000 U.S. hospitals in the HIMSS Analytics Database, to be awarded the HIMSS Analytics Stage 7 Award.

“While achieving HIMSS Stage Seven for 17 of Banner’s 23 hospitals is an important organizational achievement, the most important beneficiaries are our patients,” said Banner Health’s Executive Vice President/Chief Medical Officer John Hensing, M.D. “Our meaningful use of enhanced electronic medical records is integrated into our patient care processes and even targeted to help our clinicians proactively recognize and treat specific and dangerous disorders such as sepsis and delirium,” he added.

“Operating as ‘one hospital with 23 locations,’ Banner Health exemplifies a strong culture of change, enabling IT to drive process standardization. This health system includes the first critical access hospitals at this level of EMR sophistication, with five critical access hospitals among the 17 at Stage 7. With more than 90 percent of all medical orders being directly entered into the system by the medical staff, the quality and safety is significantly enhanced for all Banner patients,” said John P. Hoyt, FACHE, FHIMSS, Executive Vice President, HIMSS Analytics. “The world-class simulation center for clinician training and creative tools used to build specific views of patient health data also support Banner Health’s data-driven environment resulting in the Stage 7 achievement.”

Visit the HIMSS Analytics Web site for more information on the Stage 7 award.

About Banner Health

Headquartered in Phoenix, Banner Health is one of the largest, nonprofit health care systems in the country. The system owns or leases 23 acute-care hospitals, Banner Health Network, Banner Medical Group, long-term care centers, outpatient surgery centers and an array of other services including family clinics, home care and hospice services, and a nursing registry. Banner Health is in seven states: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming

About HIMSS Analytics

HIMSS Analytics is a wholly owned not-for-profit subsidiary of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society. The company collects and analyzes healthcare data related to IT processes and environments, products, IS department composition and costs, IS department management metrics, healthcare trends and purchase-related decisions. HIMSS Analytics delivers high quality data and analytical expertise to healthcare delivery organizations, healthcare IT companies, state governments, financial companies, pharmaceutical companies, and consulting firms.  Visit www.himssanalytics.org/ for more information.

Practice Fusion is announcing the launch of its laboratory API tomorrow. A first of its kind, it allows any laboratory in the country to connect directly to its EMR platform.  As you may know, healthcare has been slow to adopt new, and more efficient ways of connecting. Practice Fusion’s lab API is bringing increased connectivity and interoperability to the entire healthcare ecosystem.

First-of-its-kind API enables any laboratory in the country to connect easily to the free Electronic Medical Record platform

SAN FRANCISCO – May 2, 2012 – Practice Fusion, the free Electronic Medical Record (EMR) company, today announced the launch of its new lab API, which allows any laboratory in the country to connect directly to the EMR. The lab API –first of its kind in the health sector – enables rapid deployment of new laboratory connections that would ordinarily take weeks or months to establish, giving over 150,000 medical professionals easy access to their local commercial, hospital and private laboratories. Practice Fusion already has 70 labs signed up for connectivity with the help of the new API.

“The process couldn’t have been easier and the Practice Fusion team was highly responsive in handling our feedback,” said Anita Miles, Executive Director at GYN PATH Services in Texas.  “This kind of innovation and service is exactly what is needed to digitalize the lab integration process and improve the entire healthcare ecosystem.”

Key highlights:

• Practice Fusion’s Lab API allows laboratories  to connect to the EMR platform instantly with almost no turnaround time
• Labs can use the API connection to instantly send lab results to Practice Fusion users with  standard HL7 data files
• Any commercial laboratory -including clinical, pathology, reference and hospital systems – can send lab results to users directly within the EMR
• Minimal development is required from the lab and Practice Fusion offers free integration support
• Over 150,000 medical providers using the EMR can connect to their national and regional labs of choice at no cost

Doctors are increasingly receiving electronic lab results with the help of EMRs, abandoning old fax-based transmissions that can result in increased downtime or errors.  More than 10 billion laboratory tests are performed in the US each year and tests are essential to the prognosis and treatment of chronic conditions. While the cost of independent lab integration can typically range from $1,000 to $2,000 per physician, Practice Fusion provides connections to labs at no cost to them.

Practice Fusion is using input from the user community and partner organizations to continue improving the design and functionality of the service. All upcoming features, upgrades and new laboratory integrations will remain free for providers.

Labs interested in connecting to Practice Fusion’s EMR should contact Erica Martinez at emartinez@practicefusion.com or request more information online. Physicians interested in signing up for the free EMR should visit http://www.practicefusion.com

About Practice Fusion

Practice Fusion provides a free, web-based EMR system to physicians. With medical charting, scheduling, e-prescribing (eRx), lab integrations, referral letters, Meaningful Use certification, unlimited support and a Personal Health Record for patients, Practice Fusion’s EMR addresses the complex needs of today’s healthcare providers and disrupts the health IT status quo. Practice Fusion is the fastest growing Electronic Medical Records community in the country with more than 150,000 users serving 35 million patients. The company closed a $23 million Series B round of financing led by Founders Fund in 2011. For more information about Practice Fusion, please visit http://www.practicefusion.com.

Analysis of U.S. hospitals in all stages of implementation of EMR systems has shown that hospitals in advanced stages (Stages 5 and above) are significantly more likely to set national benchmarks for balanced performance than are peer hospitals.

Ann Arbor, MICH. and CHICAGO (April 18, 2012) – Hospitals identified as 100 Top Hospital® award winners by Thomson Reuters were found to use more advanced levels of information technology (IT)-enabled processes when compared to the overall U.S. hospital population.  Research looking at the possible relationship between the hospitals identified as 100 Top Hospital® award winners by Thomson Reuters and the HIMSS Analytics Electronic Medical Records Adoption Model (EMRAM) scores was conducted in November 2011.  Hospitals included in the sample received the 100 Top Hospital® award in either 2009 or 2010.

The research found statistically significant relationships between the 100 Top Hospitals of 2009 and 2010 and the advanced stages of the EMRAM model during the same time period. For example:

• In 2009, 14 percent of 100 Top Hospitals were in Stages 5 to 7, compared to six percent of all U.S. hospitals.

• In 2010, only one percent of the 100 Top Hospitals were at Stage 0 or Stage 1, compared to 17 percent of all U.S. hospitals.  Additionally, 21 percent of 100 Top Hospitals were at Stage 5 or higher, compared to nearly nine percent of all U.S. hospitals.

“Objective proof that higher performance is correlated with the electronic medical record represents a major breakthrough for the hospital and IT industries,” said Jean Chenoweth, Sr. Vice President, 100 Top Hospitals, Thomson Reuters.  “100 Top Hospitals are more than twice as likely to be in EMRAM Stages    5 – 7.  During the same time period, the 100 Top Hospitals national benchmarks rose.  As more hospitals take advantage of government incentives to adopt the electronic medical record, performance standards in hospitals may rise much more quickly and uniformly across the country. This is very encouraging news for patients, providers, payers and the government.”

In addition, an analysis of the percent of hospitals in each stage also demonstrates there is a higher proportion of 100 Top Hospitals in Stages 3 or higher of the EMRAM model when compared to the overall U.S. population, as shown in Tables Three and Four in the report.

“The very strong correlation between Thomson Reuters 100 Top Hospitals and hospitals at higher levels on the EMRAM model shows the benefits of deploying advanced clinical applications in the delivery of healthcare in U.S. hospitals,” said John P. Hoyt, FACHE, FHIMSS, Executive Vice President, HIMSS Analytics. “This is one of the first studies to make the connection between hospitals using advanced information technologies and quality and safety benchmarks.”

Read the study on the HIMSS Analytics website.

About Thomson Reuters

Thomson Reuters is the world’s leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals.  We combine industry expertise with innovative technology to deliver critical information to leading decision makers in the financial, legal, tax and accounting, healthcare and science and media markets, powered by the world’s most trusted news organization.  With headquarters in New York and major operations in London and Eagan, Minnesota, Thomson Reuters employs 55,000 people and operates in over 100 countries.  For more information, go to www.thomsonreuters.com.

About HIMSS Analytics

HIMSS Analytics is a wholly owned not-for-profit subsidiary of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS).  The company collects and analyzes healthcare information related to IT processes and environments, products, IS department composition and costs, IS department management metrics, healthcare trends and purchase-related decisions.  HIMSS Analytics delivers high quality products, services and analytical expertise to healthcare delivery organizations, healthcare IT companies, state governments, financial companies, pharmaceutical companies, and consulting firms.  Visit www.himssanalytics.org for more information

KLAS is pleased to announce that it is releasing a new report about smart pumps today. A few findings from the report are included below and the press release is copied further below.

– Providers are looking at EMR integration as the next big step to make infusions safer, but only 60% of providers are live on wireless technology.
– Fewer than 10 providers in the country are doing EMR integration with their smart pump vendors-even though over half consider it key to future pump selection.
– Those using wireless pumps were reportedly much more likely to be using smart pump report data and monitoring drug library compliance.
– The vendors included in the research are B. Braun, Baxter, CareFusion, Hospira, and Smiths Medical.

KLAS reports that providers are pushing for more wireless and EMR integration for their vendors to make smart pumps safer for patient care.

Orem, Utah – April 12, 2012 – Despite years of discussion and promises, KLAS reports that fewer than 10 providers in the country are yet doing EMR integration with their smart pump vendors-even though over half consider it key to future pump selection. In addition, only 60 percent of providers are live on wireless technology, which is required for EMR integration.

Report author Coray Tate commented, “Providers are looking at EMR integration as the next big step to make infusions safer. Drug libraries catch most errors, but mistakes can still be made.” Twenty-three percent of surveyed organizations reported serious medication incidents in the past 24 months and 60 percent of those were made while using drug libraries. EMR integration with auto-programming would help eliminate those types of programming errors.

Respondent satisfaction was tied to their vendor’s technology development. Smart pump vendors Baxter, Carefusion, and Hospira led in wireless technology. B. Bruan and Smiths Medical just received FDA approval, but still have few on wireless.

Those using wireless pumps were reportedly much more likely to be using smart pump report data and monitoring drug library compliance. Tate mentioned, “Without wireless you don’t know what you don’t know. You are essentially static and your ability to adjust your libraries and processes is greatly reduced. Getting to wireless is an important step in safer infusions.”

For discussion on where EMR and smart pump vendors are in development, the report Smart Pumps 2012: Wireless Technology and EMR Integration is available to healthcare providers online for a significant discount off the standard retail price. To purchase, healthcare providers and vendors can visit www.KLASresearch.com/reports.

About KLAS

KLAS is a research firm specializing in monitoring and reporting on the performance of healthcare vendors. KLAS’ mission is to improve delivery by independently measuring vendor performance worldwide for the benefit of our healthcare provider partners, consultants, investors, and vendors. Working together with executives from more than 4500 hospitals and more than 2500 clinics, KLAS delivers timely reports, trends, and statistics that provide a solid overview of vendor performance in the industry. KLAS measures performance of software, professional services, medical equipment, and infrastructure vendors. For more information, go to www.KLASresearch.com, email marketing@KLASresearch.com, or call 1-800-920-4109 to speak with a KLAS representative. Follow KLAS on Twitter at www.twitter.com/KLASresearch.

-Dell Services’ clinical experts provide 24/7/365 support for clinicians and physicians working with leading EMR systems

-The Mount Sinai Hospital sees benefits for EMR implementation

PLANO, Texas, April 9, 2012 — Implementing an electronic medical records (EMR) system is a challenge for any healthcare organization, but Dell is easing the transition with the Dell Clinical Service Desk – a 24/7/365 single point of contact staffed by clinical experts with direct experience designing, implementing, supporting and using industry-leading EMR systems.

The Mount Sinai Hospital, which has been working with Epic and Dell to phase in a comprehensive EMR system within the hospital as well as an electronic practice management (EPM) system for affiliated physicians, has been using Dell’s Clinical Service Desk to support the implementation.

While Dell offers Technical Service Desk solutions for all of its healthcare customers, the Clinical Service Desk is relatively new. The approach leverages Dell’s technical and clinical expertise to fill a gap where traditional support services leave off.

Organizations are making significant investments to implement EMR solutions to meet regulatory requirements and because of the potential benefits for patients and caregivers. And clinician adoption of EMR technology is critical to realizing the full return on investment. A robust and professionally staffed Clinical Service Desk can improve physician and clinician satisfaction, enhance efficiency and facilitate EMR adoption by providing knowledgeable peers to whom clinicians can turn when clinical support or technical advice is needed.

Last year, Dell was the first company to be named by Epic as a “Community Connect Certified” consulting services firm for EMR/EPM services. The certification was based on a variety of factors, including feedback from customers and Dell’s healthcare industry capabilities.

From turnkey EMR solutions to specific customized services, Dell provides hospitals and physician practices a variety of options to address their individualized needs. By offering industry-leading practice management and EMR software, infrastructure solutions (including secure cloud offerings), and a complete service portfolio including program planning, clinical workflow optimization and clinical support, Dell facilitates successful EMR implementations. As of December 2010, 71 percent of the Stage 7 HIMSS EMR Adoption Model hospitals were Dell customers.

Dell’s Clinical Service Desk offering is complemented by the Command Center Live Support Service, Affiliated Practice Support Service, Technical Service Desk and Dell ProSupport™ for hardware.

Key features of Dell’s Clinical Service Desk include:

• A knowledgeable clinical support team with extensive expertise in the industry’s leading HIS/EMR systems
• A single point of contact for hospital-based, ambulatory, and affiliated physicians and clinicians
• Seamless integration with the workflows within a hospital or physician environment
• Scalable, multi-level services
• 24/7/365 global*, multi-lingual support available

To learn more, visit www.dell.com/emr.

Quotes

“For Mount Sinai, the transition to EMR represents the single largest capital investment we have made, with the exception of buildings we have constructed,” said Kristin Myers, vice president of IT and leader of the EMR implementation project at The Mount Sinai Hospital. “Dell’s Clinical Service Desk team has hands-on knowledge and in-depth experience with Epic software, and the team provides our physicians and staff with the immediate support, coaching and guidance they need to optimize use of the system.”

“Unlike a traditional help desk, our service matches users with clinical resources who understand how the tool is being used in the hospital or practice setting,” said August Calhoun, Ph.D., vice president of Dell Healthcare and Life Sciences Services. “Our experienced staff provides peer-to-peer clinical and technical support so that doctors and other caregivers can focus on what they do best: delivering the highest quality of care for their patients.”

About Dell

Dell Inc. (NASDAQ: DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services that give them the power to do more. Dell Services develops and delivers a comprehensive suite of IT and application services, business process solutions and consulting services designed to help customers succeed. For more information, visit www.dell.com.

Practice Fusion is listed as a top 10 vendor for ambulatory Meaningful Use attestations from among 776 Electronic Medical Record systems

SAN FRANCISCO – April 3, 2012 – Practice Fusion has been ranked as a top 10 vendor for successful completions of the federal EMR incentive program by medical professionals, according to data released by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) as of January 2012. As the highest ranked free Electronic Medical Record (EMR) solution listed and one of the youngest vendors participating in the program, Practice Fusion’s innovative EMR technology has delivered an estimated $22 million in incentives to small and mid-sized medical practices all across the country.

“Meaningful Use can be complicated, but Practice Fusion makes the process easy for doctors,” said Dr. Robert Rowley, Medical Director of Practice Fusion. “We’ve designed our interactive Meaningful Use dashboard, free support and comprehensive, step-by-step guidance to suit the needs of busy medical practices. Because Practice Fusion’s EMR is completely free and we never take a cut of incentives, our doctors are able to reinvest 100 percent of their Meaningful Use checks back in to their practices.”

Key Facts:

• Practice Fusion currently ranks No. 10 out of 776 ambulatory vendors based on the number of eligible providers who successfully attested to Meaningful Use through the Medicare program between April 2010 and January 2012
• Practice Fusion ranked in Meaningful Use attestations for  43 different medical specialties, including:
• No. 2 in Psychiatry
• No. 3 in Podiatry
• No. 3 in General Medicine
• No. 6 in Endocrinology
• No. 6 in Geriatrics
• Growing rapidly, Practice Fusion ranks No. 5 when looking at just the last two months of attestation numbers, only behind legacy vendors Epic, Allscripts, eClinicalWorks and NextGen
• The top 10 vendors represent 66 percent of all Meaningful Use attestations and the top 25 represent 85 percent of attestations, indicating that the EMR market is beginning to consolidate
• Part of the 2009 Economic Stimulus Program (ARRA), Meaningful Use was created to incentivize eligible medical providers for using EMR technology in a way that benefits patients, improves care quality and advances public health goals
• Practice Fusion is a completely free EMR solution for doctors interested in Meaningful Use.  There is no charge for e-prescribing, charting, scheduling or giving patients real-time access to their records

Practice Fusion was recently named the No. 1 EMR for keeping doctors on track for Meaningful Use attestation, according to Brown-Wilson’s Black Book rankings. In addition, Practice Fusion was named the No. 1 EMR for customer satisfaction for all four primary care specialties—Pediatrics, Geriatrics, Family Practice and General Practice. With over 150,000 medical professional users reaching more than 34 million patients, Practice Fusion is currently the fastest growing EMR community in the country.

Reporters interested in access to the CMS attestation data or contact with a successful Meaningful Use provider are invited to contact Practice Fusion at media@practicefusion.com

About Practice Fusion

Practice Fusion provides a free, web-based EMR system to physicians. With medical charting, scheduling, e-prescribing (eRx), lab integrations, referral letters, Meaningful Use certification, unlimited support and a Personal Health Record for patients, Practice Fusion’s EMR addresses the complex needs of today’s healthcare providers and disrupts the health IT status quo. Practice Fusion is the fastest growing Electronic Medical Records community in the country with more than 150,000 users serving 34 million patients. The company closed a $23 million Series B round of financing led by Founders Fund in 2011. For more information about Practice Fusion, please visit http://www.practicefusion.com/.

Leader Pelosi speaks from Practice Fusion headquarters on the future of healthcare and technology, job creation: “Jobs being created here at Practice Fusion are for a better, healthier America.”

San Francisco, CA – March 29, 2012 – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi joined Practice Fusion CEO Ryan Howard and local physicians last Friday, March 23, at an event marking the second anniversary of the Affordable Care Act and the official opening of the company’s new headquarters in San Francisco’s Enterprise Zone. Practice Fusion, the fastest growing Electronic Medical Records (EMR) company, has grown rapidly since 2005 and now brings free technology to over 150,000 healthcare professionals.

“I want to congratulate Ryan Howard for his leadership because I believe that what is happening here at Practice Fusion is making our country, and certainly our community, healthier,” said Leader Pelosi during the event. “It is bringing down costs, improving quality, and expanding access—as is the purpose of the Affordable Care Act.”

Additional Highlights:

• Leader Nancy Pelosi spoke alongside Practice Fusion CEO Ryan Howard, primary care physician Dr. Paul Kim and Justine Matison, who was unemployed before joining the company two years ago
• The event included a community health fair with representatives from Clinic by the Bay, The American Heart Association, Walgreens, South of Market Health Center and Healthy San Francisco
• Practice Fusion also hosted a job fair for more than 75 local jobseekers and students to learn about the company’s 40+ job openings in San Francisco
• With just four employees in 2009, Practice Fusion has grown to over 150 team members and expects to double in 2012
• Practice Fusion’s growth has been aided by the 2009 Stimulus Plan (ARRA), which provides $44,000+ in incentives for physicians using EMR technology. The Affordable Care Act continues the work of ARRA to improve care coordination using health technology
• Full video of Leader Pelosi’s remarks during the press conference is available online

“Practice Fusion pledges to work with the US government to provide every doctor with access to health technology with the goal of ensuring that every American receives safe, high quality health care,” said Howard. “We’re honored to have Leader Pelosi acknowledge us as a major innovator in this effort.”

To learn more about current job openings, please visit practicefusion.com/careers

About Practice Fusion

Practice Fusion provides a free, web-based EMR system to physicians. With medical charting, scheduling, e-prescribing (eRx), lab integrations, referral letters, Meaningful Use certification, unlimited support and a Personal Health Record for patients, Practice Fusion’s EMR addresses the complex needs of today’s healthcare providers and disrupts the health IT status quo. Practice Fusion is the fastest growing Electronic Medical Records community in the country with more than 150,000 users serving 33 million patients. The company closed a $23 million Series B round of financing led by Founders Fund in 2011. For more information about Practice Fusion, please visit http://www.practicefusion.com.

More than 75% of respondents predict paperwork either to increase or not improve, with healthcare reform; despite implementation of electronic health records, 80% of healthcare organizations still rely on paper records

WESTBOROUGH, MA  — March 20, 2012 —Anoto, the world leader in digital pen and paper technology, today announced the results of a survey focusing on the state of paperwork in the healthcare industry. Survey results confirm that despite the growing numbers of organizations implementing electronic health records (EHR) systems, many are not decreasing their reliance on paper-based processes.  For example, well over half of the respondents say that paper is still a primary source for tracking information within their organizations’ daily activities, citing reasons such as:

• Paper is too embedded in the culture;
• Technology adoption is too expensive; and
• Switching to an electronic system requires too much training and would disrupt care delivery.

Additionally, survey respondents predict that the paperwork burden will increase with the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA).

Some of the other key findings from the survey include:

Paperwork is King:

• 63% of respondents said they spend anywhere from 25% to more than 75% of their time at work drafting or processing paperwork.

• A significant majority – almost 80% – are still using paper records, despite either having or currently implementing an EHR system.
  

• 78% of respondents believe the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) will either increase the amount of paperwork they will have to deal with or it will, at best, stay the same.

EHR Technology Improves Patient Care:

• As healthcare continues to move towards EHR adoption, there is consensus that ultimately this technology will benefit the industry, patients and the quality of patient care in the long-term. Almost 90% of survey respondents with an active EHR system believe an EHR system improves patient care.

Interest in Digitizing Paper-Based Processes is High:

• Respondents were asked (on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being the highest), if they would be interested in using a solution that would allow them to digitize information instantly while still using the paper forms they have always used. Nearly 50% of respondents rated their interest as an 8 or higher.

“The survey results are clear: healthcare remains a paper-driven industry and will likely stay that way for the foreseeable future,” said Pietro Parravicini, senior vice president area manager Americas for Anoto.

About the Survey

Anoto conducted an online survey, with responses from professionals at healthcare organizations of various sizes. The survey, conducted in January 2012, included responses from physicians, nurses, executive/administrative, IT professionals and CIOs from hospitals (including emergency rooms), ambulatory care facilities, home healthcare organizations, and long-term care facilities. Questions focused on the circumstances where paper is being used and methods currently being employed to get information digitized and into EHR systems.

About Anoto Group

Anoto Group is the world leader in digital pen and paper technology enabling fast and reliable conversion of handwritten text into digital format. Anoto operates through a global partner network that focuses on user-friendly forms solutions for efficient capture, transmission and storage of data within different business segments, e.g. healthcare, bank and finance, transport and logistics and education. The Anoto Group has around 80 employees, offices in Lund (head office), Boston and Tokyo. The Anoto share is listed on NASDAQ OMX Nordic small cap list under the ticker ANOT. For more information visit: http://www.anoto.com/healthcare.