Press Releases

Aetna Adds Providence Hospital to Network of Medicare Advantage Hospitals in Washington, D.C.

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 09:21:22 -0500

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Aetna (NYSE: AET) announced today that Providence Hospital has been added to its network of participating hospitals for Medicare Advantage members. Providence Hospital, which has been part of Aetna’s commercial network for several years, agreed to a multi-year contract to also provide care for Medicare Advantage customers.

Members of Aetna Medicare Advantage plans can receive care, under in-network prices and conditions, from the 570-bed Providence Hospital and the Carroll Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

“Aetna is very pleased to announce this collaboration with Providence Hospital,” said Stuart Verch, head of Aetna’s Medicare Advantage operation for Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. “We pride ourselves in offering our customers broad access to quality hospitals and physicians. This agreement expands that access for our Medicare Advantage members in the nation’s capital.”

Aetna provides Medicare Advantage plans to approximately 14,000 beneficiaries in the region.

“Aetna has been a long-standing partner with Providence in serving the needs of our surrounding community,” said Dr. Raymond L. Cox, senior vice president for medical affairs at the hospital. “Providence is pleased to now be able to provide quality health care to Aetna Medicare members as a new part of the Aetna Medicare network. We look forward to treating all of our Aetna patients with joy, care and respect.”

About Providence Hospital

Chartered by President Abraham Lincoln in 1861, Providence Hospital is the longest continuously operating hospital in the nation's capital. Its strengths in medicine, surgery, and diagnostics blend with its values and commitment to human dignity to provide healthcare people can have faith in. Providence is part of Ascension Health, the nation's largest Catholic and nonprofit health system, setting the standard for quality, holistic care and access. Its share the spirit of its founders and all who serve in Ascension Health, caring for those most in need.

About Aetna

Aetna is one of the nation's leading diversified health care benefits companies, serving approximately 36.4 million people with information and resources to help them make better informed decisions about their health care. Aetna offers a broad range of traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including medical, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, group life and disability plans, and medical management capabilities and health care management services for Medicaid plans. Our customers include employer groups, individuals, college students, part-time and hourly workers, health plans, health care providers, governmental units, government-sponsored plans, labor groups and expatriates. For more information, see www.aetna.com.

CONTACT:

Aetna
Walt Cherniak, 410-401-9490
cherniakjrw@aetna.com

KEYWORDS: United States North America District of Columbia Maryland Virginia

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Health Hospitals Professional Services Insurance

MEDIA:

Logo

New Release of NCCN Guidelines for Patients: Colon Cancer; Updated NCCN Guidelines for Patients: Prostate Cancer

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:21:33 -0500

New NCCN Guidelines for Patients^™: Colon Cancer and Updated NCCN Guidelines for Patients^™: Prostate Cancer are now available on-line at NCCN.com. The same authoritative source referenced by physicians and other health care professionals is now written for and available to patients and their caregivers.

FORT WASHINGTON, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- In order to provide people with cancer and their caregivers state-of-the-art treatment information in patient-friendly language, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network^® (NCCN^®) has developed two new publications: a new release of the NCCN Guidelines for Patients^™: Colon Cancer and an update to the NCCN Guidelines for Patients^™: Prostate Cancer. The guidelines provide a framework to help people with cancer talk with their physician about the best treatment options.

According to the 2012 annual report from the American Cancer Society (ACS), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries (NAACCR) (Seigel, Naishadham, & Jemal, 2012), colon cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the United States. The newly released NCCN Guidelines for Patients^™: Colon Cancer include a treatment guide covering the different stages of colon cancer from early detection and diagnosis throughout treatment, across the entire continuum of care. The guidelines describe tests and treatment options for colon cancer, along with treatment side effects. A thorough glossary is included to aid patients with medical terminology. These guidelines suggest the best practice for colon cancer care and support enrollment into clinical trials when appropriate.

Prostate cancer is a complex disease; fortunately there is a dearth of sound data to support treatment recommendations. NCCN’s Guidelines for Patients^™: Prostate Cancer cover several variables (including life expectancy, disease characteristics, predicted outcomes, and patient preferences) that should be considered by the patient and the physician in tailoring prostate cancer therapy to the individual patient. The guidelines provide information that will help people with prostate cancer and their friends and family understand the cancer, and further to help them talk with their cancer care team about the best treatment options. In particular, the guidelines give treatment recommendations based on the characteristics of the cancer possible side effects of treatments, and a side-by-side comparison of the main benefits and disadvantages of the treatments for prostate cancer.

The NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines^®) are the most widely used guidelines in oncology practice; physicians around the globe use the NCCN Guidelines when determining appropriate cancer treatment for their patients. The NCCN Guidelines for Patients^™ present the same information that physicians use when making treatment decisions for people with cancer, and provide it in an easy-to-understand format.

The NCCN Guidelines for Patients^™: Colon Cancer and Prostate Cancer are available free of charge on-line at NCCN.com and NCCN.org. The updated NCCN Guidelines for Patients^™: Prostate Cancer is also available in print booklet format. To request a hard copy of this resource, e-mail patientguidelines@nccn.org.

Through the support of the NCCN Foundation, NCCN now offers a library of nine NCCN Guidelines for Patients^™, including those on breast, colon, ovarian, non-small cell lung and prostate cancers, as well as chronic myelogenous leukemia, malignant pleural mesothelioma, melanoma, and multiple myeloma. All of these Guidelines are available free of charge at NCCN.com, which also features informative articles for patients and caregivers. These guidelines are also featured on NCCN.org.

About the National Comprehensive Cancer Network

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network^® (NCCN^®), a not-for-profit alliance of 21 of the world’s leading cancer centers, is dedicated to improving the quality and effectiveness of care provided to patients with cancer. Through the leadership and expertise of clinical professionals at NCCN Member Institutions, NCCN develops resources that present valuable information to the numerous stakeholders in the health care delivery system. As the arbiter of high-quality cancer care, NCCN promotes the importance of continuous quality improvement and recognizes the significance of creating clinical practice guidelines appropriate for use by patients, clinicians, and other health care decision-makers. The primary goal of all NCCN initiatives is to improve the quality, effectiveness, and efficiency of oncology practice so patients can live better lives.

The NCCN Member Institutions are: City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA; Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center | Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Boston, MA; Duke Cancer Institute, Durham, NC; Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA; Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center/Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Seattle, WA; The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, Baltimore, MD; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University, Chicago, IL; Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY; H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL; The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center - James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, Columbus, OH; Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY; Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO; St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital/University of Tennessee Cancer Institute, Memphis, TN; Stanford Comprehensive Cancer Center, Stanford, CA; University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Cancer Center, Birmingham, AL; UCSF Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA; University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, MI; UNMC Eppley Cancer Center at The Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE; The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX; and Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, Nashville, TN.

Clinicians, visit NCCN.org. Patients and caregivers, visit NCCN.com.

NCCN aims to provide people with cancer and the general public state-of-the- art cancer treatment information in easy-to-understand language. The NCCN Guidelines for Patients™, translations of the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines^®), are meant to help patients with cancer talk with their physician about the best treatment options. These guidelines do not replace the expertise and clinical judgment of the physician.

CONTACT:

National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN)
Mary Buemi, 215-690-0576
buemi@nccn.org

KEYWORDS: United States North America Pennsylvania

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Other Consumer Health Public Policy/Government Healthcare Reform Oncology Public Policy Communications Publishing Consumer Managed Care

MEDIA:

Logo

PREIT Announces New Healthcare Center at Plymouth Meeting Mall

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:21:33 -0500

The Philadelphia region’s first health and wellness facility at an enclosed shopping mall

PHILADELPHIA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust (PREIT/NYSE: PEI) today announced an agreement to introduce a Mercy Health System consumer health and wellness satellite aligned with Mercy Suburban Hospital. The 23,500 square foot two-level outpatient ambulatory healthcare facility is scheduled to open at Plymouth Meeting Mall in suburban Philadelphia in September 2012.

The facility will include primary care physician and specialist offices, physical therapy and non-invasive procedure suites, imaging facilities and a walk-in clinic. The space will be accessible from both inside and outside the mall.

“Shopping centers and healthcare are synergistic,” said Joseph F. Coradino, President of PREIT Services LLC and PREIT-RUBIN, Inc. “We are pleased to bring the first full-scale medical health and wellness center to an enclosed mall in the Northeast.”

In the fourth quarter of 2011, PREIT leased 50,000 square feet at Plymouth Meeting Mall, including Charming Charlie, Strawberry, Bolton’s, Ukazoo Books, Main Line Hobbies, Best Buy Mobile, Auntie Anne’s, the expansion of Dave & Buster’s and this Mercy Health System facility.

Plymouth Meeting Mall (www.shopplymouthmeetingmall.com) is located in the greater Philadelphia area in a highly populated suburban area northwest of the city, at the confluence of three major arteries, the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-276), its Northeast Extension and the Blue Route (I-476). The two-level mall is anchored by Macy’s, Boscov’s, Whole Foods Market and Café, and features Redstone American Grill, P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, California Pizza Kitchen, Benihana, AMC Theater, Express, Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works.

About Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust

Pennsylvania Real Estate Investment Trust, founded in 1960 and one of the first equity REITs in the U.S., has a primary investment focus on retail shopping malls. Currently, the Company's portfolio consists of 49 properties, including 38 shopping malls, eight community and power centers, and three development properties. The Company's properties are located in 13 states in the eastern half of the United States, primarily in the Mid-Atlantic region. The operating retail properties have approximately 33 million total square feet of space. PREIT is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Company's website can be found at www.preit.com. PREIT is publicly traded on the NYSE under the symbol PEI.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release contains certain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Forward-looking statements relate to expectations, beliefs, projections, future plans, strategies, anticipated events, trends and other matters that are not historical facts. These forward-looking statements reflect our current views about future events, achievements or results and are subject to risks, uncertainties and changes in circumstances that might cause future events, achievements or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. In particular, our business might be materially and adversely affected by uncertainties affecting real estate businesses generally as well as the following, among other factors: our substantial debt and our high leverage ratio; constraining leverage, interest and tangible net worth covenants under our 2010 Credit Facility, as amended; our ability to refinance our existing indebtedness when it matures, on favorable terms, or at all; our ability to raise capital, including through the issuance of equity or equity-related securities if market conditions are favorable, through joint ventures or other partnerships, through sales of properties, or through other actions; our short- and long-term liquidity position; the effects on us of dislocations and liquidity disruptions in the capital and credit markets; current economic conditions and their effect on employment, consumer confidence and spending; tenant business performance, prospects, solvency and leasing decisions; the value and potential impairment of our properties; increases in operating costs that cannot be passed on to tenants; our ability to maintain and increase property occupancy, sales and rental rates, including at our redeveloped properties; risks relating to development and redevelopment activities; changes in the retail industry, including consolidation and store closings; the effects of online shopping and other uses of technology on our retail tenants; general economic, financial and political conditions, including credit market conditions, changes in interest rates or unemployment; concentration of our properties in the Mid-Atlantic region; changes in local market conditions, such as the supply of or demand for retail space, or other competitive factors; potential dilution from any capital raising transactions; possible environmental liabilities; our ability to obtain insurance at a reasonable cost; and the existence of complex regulations, including those relating to our status as a REIT, and the adverse consequences if we were to fail to qualify as a REIT. Additional factors that might cause future events, achievements or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by our forward-looking statements include those discussed in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 in the section entitled “Item 1A. Risk Factors.” We do not intend to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, future events or otherwise.

Additional information about PREIT is available on www.preit.com.

CONTACT:

PREIT Services, LLC and PREIT-RUBIN, Inc.
Joseph F. Coradino, President, 215-875-0742
or
Judy Trias, CMD, 215-875-0122
Vice President, Retail Marketing

KEYWORDS: United States North America Pennsylvania

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Department Stores Health Hospitals REIT Retail Specialty Construction & Property Commercial Building & Real Estate Other Construction & Property Other Retail Managed Care

MEDIA:

Logo

Medicomp Systems Hosts Quipstar, World's Favorite HIT Quiz Show, at HIMSS12

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:21:29 -0500

CHANTILLY, Va., Feb. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Medicomp Systems will premiere Quipstar, World's Favorite HIT Quiz Show, on Tuesday, February 21 at HIMSS12. The interactive health information technology quiz show will run February 21 through 23 at Medicomp's exhibit, booth 855. Contestants will compete for prizes using Quippe®, Medicomp's integrated physician and nursing documentation tool, to answer questions related to new industry coding and documentation requirements such as ICD-10 and meaningful use. Everyone receiving Quippe training and seated in Quipstar's live studio audience will also have a chance to win prizes, including free iPad2®s and other giveaways.

Each show will also feature a special guest, or "Quip Star," who plays for a $5,000 donation to their favorite charity. Danielle Hartley, Publisher of MedTech Media will be playing for The Barbara Bush Children's Hospital for the kickoff show on Tuesday at 3:30 pm. "Inga" of HIStalk will play for Mobile Loaves and Fishes during the Wednesday show at 4 pm and Dr. Eric Fishman of EHRtv will be playing for the Alzheimer's Association on Thursday at 11 am.

According to Dave Lareau, Chief Operations Officer at Medicomp, "Quipstar is a great way to actually put Quippe into the hands of clinicians and EHR developers so that they can see how easy to use and learn Quippe really is. We tell everyone that you can learn to use Quippe in under 20 minutes. Quipstar gives us an opportunity to prove it."

In addition to being easy to learn and use, Quippe is ICD-10-CM ready, satisfies meaningful use requirements, is compatible with most EHRs, and runs on most mobile devices. It is powered by Medicomp's MEDCIN® Engine, which adapts to the unique clinical presentation of each patient and provides all of the codes needed for compliance and reimbursement.

Lareau noted that Quipstar will enable Medicomp to show everyone that Quippe, backed by the MEDCIN Engine, addresses all documentation and compliance challenges while providing the engine for connected clinical care.

To register for Quipstar or to find out more about Quippe or Medicomp Systems, visit us online at www.medicomp.com. Visit us at HIMSS at booth 855. Medicomp Systems innovates and continuously improves medical information technologies that provide clinicians with the power and freedom to focus on the patient.

http://www.medicomp.com

SOURCE Medicomp Systems

University Teams Tap Mobile Phones and Social Networks to Fight Non-communicable Diseases

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:21:27 -0500

University of California, Berkeley and ESADE Business School-Universidad Ramon Llull Target Diabetes to win IBM and Novartis NCD Challenge

ARMONK, N.Y., Feb. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- New solutions developed by university teams could soon be harnessed to help manage the growing global problem of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as asthma, diabetes, stroke and cancer.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20090416/IBMLOGO )

A social-media enabled support system for pregnant women with gestational diabetes and advanced smart-phone service could have tremendous impact as cost-effective tools to help manage diabetes and other diseases. These winning innovations and others were part of the NCD Challenge, sponsored by IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Novartis (NYSE: NVS). The global competition was designed to bring together industry and academia to create innovative, easy-to-use solutions that fight the human and social burden of NCDs.

According to the World Health Organization, nearly two-thirds of all deaths occur due to non-communicable diseases which contribute to more than 60 percent of deaths worldwide. Over the coming decade, some 388 million people worldwide will die of one or more chronic illnesses and the cumulative losses in global economic output due to NCDs will total $47 trillion by 2030. Modest investments to prevent and treat NCDs could save tens of millions of lives and bring major economic returns.

Winners of the competition are Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, and ESADE Business School-Universidad Ramon Llull in Barcelona, Spain. These winning solutions for two categories, developing nations and developed nations, help address the problem.

"The NCD Challenge illustrates the type of ingenuity, motivation and accessibility that will help control the growing epidemic of NCDs in many parts of the world," said Katherine Holland, general manager, global life sciences, IBM. "Innovation such as this is key to a global strategy to improve care and build a more sustainable healthcare system."

Developing World Solution:

2Vidas - Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley

2Vidas is a pharmacy-based membership program for low- to middle-income pregnant women to address the growing problem of diabetes in Mexico. The project's aim is to make a lasting health impact on two lives during a finite period in which women have increased motivation to take better care of themselves for the health of their babies.

The program works by providing pregnant women access to monitoring tools at local pharmacies, support through peer-led sessions, and encouragement via positive SMS messaging that rewards self-management and offers health tips. The potential economic impact is the ability to save women 58-98% of out-of-pocket monitoring costs, depending on frequency of use, and the health system an average of $110 per enrolled woman per year through improved diabetes control - lowering the risk profile of the mother's pregnancy and baby's propensity for NCDs. 2Vidas membership program will deliver estimated $10.4 million in systemic cost savings and $475,000 in added value creation over five years. Team members included: Emily Ewell (team lead), Jenny Chang, Tara English, Rachel Sherman

Developed World Solution:

Dr. Diabetes - ESADE Business School-Universidad Ramon Llull

Dr. Diabetes utilizes a handheld device with an application and two cloud servers. It is a total solution designed to provide diabetes awareness, monitoring and management to patients with chronic illness, initially for China. It also provides early awareness to the public and streamlines diabetes management for patients. The solution provides medical data via cloud computing to physicians for accurate diagnosis, and to pharmaceutical companies and hospitals for efficient research and development. The solution is designed to be scalable to support other NCDs.

It is designed to lower the risk of complications, decrease treatment costs to patients by up to 73 percent, and decrease their hospital visits by 65 percent.

Team members included:
Ching-Chia Hsu (team lead), Meng-Chi Chen, Alexander Anthonysamy, Kohei Sato, Feras Nagadi.

The competition runners up are:

Smart Strip - Said Business School, University of Oxford. A non-invasive, mobile blood glucometer band that measures blood glucose transdermally
Oxford Asthma - Said Business School, University of Oxford. Low-cost solution for large scale monitoring and diagnosis of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Other finalists in the competition include:

DiaMapp – Jordan University. Smart phone technology for managing diabetes type 1 in children, empowering patients and their families to care for themselves
Move4Health - Karolinska Institutet. Prescription for physical activity by physicians, targeted for Vietnam, supported by mobile technology to measure activity and provide healthcare follow up
My Health Portal - ESADE Business School-Universidad Ramon Llul. Secure online portal based on cloud computing technology that bridges the communication gap between patient and doctor
TeleHealth - University of Melbourne. An innovative integrated telehealth solution that can globally individualize the care and management of people with diabetes

Winning teams will be recognized during the NCD Awards Ceremony held February 9-10 at IBM headquarters in Armonk, New York and Novartis headquarters in East Hanover, New Jersey. A keynote speech will be given by Dr. Jacob Kumaresan, World Health Organization Center for Health Development. During the competition, the teams were supported by mentors and subject matter coaching to provide industry expertise to complement each team's knowledge and research. The winning teams will be provided guidance from the venture capital community for commercializing their solutions.

People can join the conversation on the topic of fighting non-communicable diseases at: People for a Smarter Planet on Facebook at http://on.fb.me/9S1Jp8, and on Twitter at #NCD

About Novartis

Novartis provides innovative healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, eye care, cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals, preventive vaccines and diagnostic tools, over-the-counter and animal health products. Novartis is the only global company with leading positions in these areas. In 2011, the Group's continuing operations achieved net sales of USD 58.6 billion, while approximately USD 9.6 billion (USD 9.2 billion excluding impairment and amortization charges) was invested in R&D throughout the Group. Novartis Group companies employ approximately 124,000 full-time-equivalent associates and operate in more than 140 countries around the world. For more information, please visit http://www.novartis.com.

About IBM

For more information about IBM, visit: http://www.ibm.com/smarterhealthcare

Join in the discussion on the Smarter Healthcare LinkedIn Group

Watch our videos at www.youtube.com/ibmhealthcare

Media contact:
Holli Haswell
(720) 396-5485
hhaswell@us.ibm.com

SOURCE IBM

IDS to Debut Latest Mobile Apps at HIMSS 2012

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:21:16 -0500

Apps Improve Physician Mobility with Unified Worklists, End-to-End Solutions

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Integrated Document Solutions (IDS), a pioneer in delivering healthcare information and applications via cloud computing, today announced that the company will unveil the next generation of its groundbreaking smartphone applications at the upcoming HIMSS 2012 conference (Booth 8910).

The mobile apps focus on unifying worklists and improving accessibility. Providers can wirelessly authenticate verbal orders, dictate patient encounters, remotely sign reports, and document appropriate billing levels. Physicians can perform these time-sensitive tasks using iPhone®, Blackberry®, Android® and Windows Mobile® devices.

“Physician mobility will be essential to the success of all healthcare organizations going forward,” said CEO Yaniv Dagan. “Our cloud approach allows us to implement and deploy in almost no time customized mobile workflows to support physicians on the go. Our mobile applications make physicians more productive and provide facilities with the tools they need to maintain compliance and improve patient care documentation.”

At HIMSS, IDS will feature:

Mobile Voice2Dox – A complete end-to-end dictation solution based on the provider’s daily worklist of scheduled patients. Drafts appear in a matter of minutes with the template of choice and desired format for final review and electronic sign-off. Available in the iTunes App Store.

Digital Pen – IDS will debut a new digital handwriting application using the Anoto pen and smart forms to document patient encounter information. Digital pen and paper technology offers easy data capture and efficient transfer using a camera-embedded pen and USB docking station with Bluetooth® capabilities.

Mobile DICOM Image Viewer – Part of the AbbaDox Rad suite of workflow solutions, this mobile app streams diagnostic images with numerous viewing tools on the iPad®. Available in the iTunes App Store.

Charge Capture – This cross-platform mobile application enables hospitalists to securely record charge capture details using any tablet or smartphone. The solution applies a distributed approach, enabling physicians to quickly record charge information at the point-of-care and immediately transfer the encounter details to the billing department for claims processing.

Physician Verbal Orders – IDS created a completely electronic workflow process to authenticate physician verbal and telephone orders. Physicians instantly receive notifications of verbal orders requiring signature. They can review, reject or sign the orders on a mobile device.

About IDS

Integrated Document Solutions (IDS) is a healthcare technology company providing cloud-based services and tools for automating workflows, forms management, speech recognition, dictation-transcription, and productivity measurement. Based in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, the company’s products and services securely integrate with other information systems, allowing clients to maximize existing investments and increase productivity with minimal capital investment. For more information visit: www.idssite.com.

CONTACT:

Integrated Document Solutions, Inc.
Glenn Weintraub, 954-484-0969, Ext. 7141
gweintraub@idssite.com

KEYWORDS: United States North America Florida

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Technology Data Management Internet Networks Software Security Health Hospitals Mobile/Wireless Other Health General Health

MEDIA:

Logo

New White Paper Analyzes Landscape For Prior Authorization For Medications

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:21:13 -0500

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla., Feb. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Point-of-Care Partners (POCP)--a national healthcare information technology and strategy consulting firm--has just released a new white paper on prior authorization for medications, which is a trend to watch in 2012. The white paper analyzes the PA landscape and discusses what payers, pharmaceutical benefit managers, pharmaceutical manufacturers and other stakeholders should be doing to get ready for more PA and a migration to electronic prior authorization (ePA), a standardized electronic process in which real-time decisions on PA requests are provided at the point of prescribing.

Use of prior authorization should significantly rise in 2012 and beyond due to cost containment pressures in the public and private sectors, along with the advent of accountable care organizations and other care delivery models that reward participating providers for saving money. Other key drivers, including advances in medication therapy management, biotechnology, designer drugs and specialty pharmacy, also will contribute to increased use of PA.

While PA may contain costs, the current process is typically time-consuming, expensive and frustrating for both providers and payers. The PA process stubbornly has remained mired in an antiquated, paper-based process—even though the healthcare world is rapidly going digital and more than half of eligible prescribers are doing so electronically. That is why the healthcare industry is seeking a better and digital solution through electronic prior authorization.

"Although ePA is still a few years away, pharmacy benefit managers and payers should be taking note of the trend toward PA for medications and setting adoption strategies in motion because of the savings and competitive advantage that can accrue," said Tony Schueth, POCP founder and managing partner.

He noted that efforts invested today can deliver immediate and substantial benefits for all stakeholders while providing a migration path to more integrated, automated and comprehensive solutions that takes greater advantage of evolving industry standards.

"The benefits to be gained through better member care and satisfaction, increased goodwill with providers and operational efficiency are combining to build a business case for ePA that dovetails with the industry's increasing willingness to adopt a better—and more electronic—solution," Mr. Schueth said.

Complete details are in Electronic Prior Authorization For Medications: The Time Is Right For Plans, PBMs And Other Payers, which can be downloaded without charge from the POCP website (http://pocp.com/blog/?p=489).

SOURCE Point-of-Care Partners

Ron Paul Issues Statement on Obama Contraception Decision

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:22:30 -0500

“I am the only GOP presidential candidate who has consistently opposed the federal promotion, funding, and mandating of contraception and abortion”

LAKE JACKSON, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Congressman and 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul issued the following statement regarding the Obama Administration's announcement that religious organizations must pay for contraception and sterilization under the national health care law:

“Forcing private religious institutions to pay for contraception and sterilization as part of their health care plans is a direct assault on the First Amendment's guarantee of religious liberty. On my first day as President, I will reverse this policy. Repealing the unconstitutional monstrosity known as ObamaCare is a major part of my Plan to Restore America.

“I am the only GOP presidential candidate who has consistently opposed the federal promotion, funding, and mandating of contraception and abortion. Unlike Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum, I never voted to provide taxpayer funding to Planned Parenthood. And unlike Mitt Romney, whose Massachusetts health care plan contained a contraceptive mandate similar to the one contained in ObamaCare, I have never supported any government health care mandates.

“When one compares my record with that of my opponents, it is clear that I am the only choice for Americans seeking a candidate they can trust to reverse the Obama administration's assault on their religious and other liberties.”

This is the most recent statement in a series of comments issued by Paul regarding this move by the Obama Administration. You can find the August 4th statement here, and find the October 3rd statement here, and the statement applauding Becket Fund’s defense of Belmont Abbey College here.

Authorized and paid for by Ron Paul 2012 PCC Inc. www.RonPaul2012.com

CONTACT:

Ron Paul 2012 Presidential Campaign Committee
Gary Howard, 855-866-9779

KEYWORDS: United States North America Texas

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Health Public Policy/Government Healthcare Reform Congressional News/Views Elections/Campaigns Public Policy White House/Federal Government Managed Care

MEDIA:

Logo

Health Reform to Require Insurers to Use Plain Language in Describing Health Plan Benefits, Coverage

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:21:27 -0500

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- People in the market for health insurance will soon have clear, understandable and straightforward information on what health plans will cover, what limitations or conditions will apply, and what they will pay for services thanks to the Affordable Care Act – the health reform law – according to final regulations published today.

The marketing materials that insurers use can sometimes make it difficult for consumers to understand exactly what they are buying. The new rules, published jointly by the Departments of Health and Human Services, Labor and Treasury, require health insurers and group health plans to provide concise and comprehensible information about health plan benefits and coverage to the millions of Americans with private health coverage. The new rules will also make it easier for people and employers to directly compare one plan to another.

“All consumers, for the first time, will really be able to clearly comprehend the sometimes confusing language insurance plans often use in marketing,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. “This will give them a new edge in deciding which plan will best suit their needs and those of their families or employees.”

Under the rule announced today, health insurers must provide consumers with clear, consistent and comparable summary information about their health plan benefits and coverage. The new explanations, which will be available beginning, or soon after, September 23, 2012 will be a critical resource for the roughly 150 million Americans with private health insurance today.

Specifically, these rules will ensure consumers have access to two key documents that will help them understand and evaluate their health insurance choices:

A short, easy-to-understand Summary of Benefits and Coverage ( or “SBC”); and
A uniform glossary of terms commonly used in health insurance coverage, such as “deductible” and “co-payment.”

All health plans and insurers will provide an SBC to shoppers and enrollees at important points in the enrollment process, such as upon application and at renewal.

A key feature of the SBC is a new, standardized plan comparison tool called “coverage examples,” similar to the Nutrition Facts label required for packaged foods. The coverage examples will illustrate sample medical situations and describe how much coverage the plan would provide in an event such as having a baby (normal delivery) or managing Type II diabetes (routine maintenance, well-controlled) These examples will help consumers understand and compare what they would have to pay under each plan they are considering.

Today’s rules finalize the proposed rules issued in August 2011. Input was received from such stakeholders as the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and a working group composed of health insurance-related consumer advocacy organizations, health insurers, health care professionals, patient advocates including those representing people with limited English proficiency, and others. The final rules aim to ensure strong consumer information while minimizing paperwork and cost.

To view the template for the Summary of Benefits and Coverage and the glossary, visit: http://cciio.cms.gov/resources/other/index.html#sbcug

To view the Final Rule, visit: http://www.ofr.gov/inspection.aspx

For more information on the rules announced today, visit: http://www.healthcare.gov/news/factsheets/2011/08/labels08172011a.html

CONTACT:

HHS Press Office
202-690-6343
media@hhs.gov
www.hhs.gov/news

KEYWORDS: United States North America District of Columbia

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Health Public Policy/Government Healthcare Reform Congressional News/Views Public Policy White House/Federal Government Professional Services Insurance General Health Managed Care

MEDIA:

Logo

2011 Health Spending Growth Remains Near Historic Lows

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:21:25 -0500

ANN ARBOR, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- New analysis shows that health care spending in the U.S. in 2011 grew at one of the slowest rates in 50 years according to the February Health Sector Economic Indicators briefs released today by Altarum Institute’s Center for Sustainable Health Spending.

Altarum’s reports provide the first look at full-year 2011, showing health spending at $2.71 trillion. Spending was up 4.4 percent from 2010—the third slowest rate of growth since national health expenditures have been tracked. The health spending share of gross domestic product was 18.1 percent in December 2011, up from 16.4 percent at the start of the recession (December 2007), but down slightly from the all-time high of 18.2 percent in June 2011.

“With historically low health price inflation, low utilization growth and some signs of lower health employment growth, we could be entering an era of extended health care cost control,” said center director Dr. Charles Roehrig.

Altarum’s data indicate that health care price inflation was only 2.1 percent for all of 2011, the lowest annual figure since 1998, when it stood at 2.0 percent. Health employment in January 2012 rose by 31,000, well above the 2-year average of 22,000 jobs and contrasting with weak employment growth seen in the last quarter of 2011. At 10.73 percent of all jobs in January 2012, the health employment share is fractionally lower than the all-time high of 10.74 percent in October 2011.

The complete set of briefs—covering health care spending, utilization, prices and employment—can be viewed at www.altarum.org/healthindicators. To receive email notification regarding the monthly release of Health Sector Economic Indicators, please visit http://www.altarum.org/signup.

Altarum’s Center for Sustainable Health Spending staff will host a media conference call to discuss this month’s data release. The call will take place Monday, February 13, 2012 from 10:30-11:00 A.M. (EST). Interested media should join the call by dialing 877-820-7831, participant code 324-8445#. Please dial in a few minutes early to participate.

Altarum Institute (www.altarum.org) integrates objective research and client-centered consulting skills to deliver comprehensive, systems-based solutions that improve health and health care. Altarum employs more than 400 individuals and is headquartered in Ann Arbor, Mich., with additional offices in the Washington, D.C., area; Sacramento, Calif.; Atlanta, Ga.; Portland, Maine; and San Antonio, Texas.

CONTACT:

Altarum Institute
Jonathan Orr, 703-575-1215
jonathan.orr@altarum.org

KEYWORDS: United States North America Michigan

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Surgery Practice Management Health Hospitals Other Health Professional Services Finance Insurance Managed Care Physical Therapy

MEDIA:

Logo

Indiana Health Information Exchange Envisions A Connected Nation

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 12:21:23 -0500

Nation's Largest Health Information Exchange Organization will use AT&T Healthcare Community Online to Scale and Expand Business Plans

INDIANAPOLIS, Feb. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Ten million patients, more than 19,000 physicians, over 80 facilities. As the nation's largest health information exchange organization, the Indiana Health Information Exchange, Inc. (IHIE) is responsible for an ocean of information. In fact, it currently has more than four billion pieces of clinical data in the repository and delivers three million highly-secure health transactions daily.

IHIE works with hospitals, long-term care facilities, clinics and physician practices throughout Indiana to ensure that health information is where it needs to be, when it needs to be there to help improve care coordination and patient outcomes.

A fundamental aspect of IHIE's services is aggregating clinical data through interface integrations with healthcare providers to support applications such as the DOCS4DOCS® service, Quality Health First® Program and the Indiana Network for Patient Care. The health information exchange as well as these clinical applications were developed by the Regenstrief Institute, a world-renowned medical informatics research organization, and are supported and delivered by IHIE.

IHIE's data integration is rapidly expanding beyond its current capacity, creating the need for a scalable solution to help connect more hospitals and facilities to the exchange. Deploying AT&T* Healthcare Community Online powered by Covisint, will position IHIE to boost support of its existing community, respond to new providers' immediate needs and expand business plans.

IHIE will initially implement AT&T Healthcare Community Online's Clinical Message Exchange in three key hospitals, providing a highly-secure, scalable and flexible clinical interface integration platform. This will improve IHIE's ability to accelerate data integration processes within the exchange, and make clinical data available in a highly-secure manner across the entire community of care. IHIE has plans to add more than 60 additional hospitals to the platform this year.

This is the beginning of what IHIE and AT&T believe is a nationwide opportunity for collaboration.

"Our vision is to establish a model of health information exchange for the nation," said Harold J. Apple, President and Chief Executive Officer of IHIE. "We operate the most advanced system for connecting disparate healthcare IT systems in the nation, and AT&T is helping us take our efforts to the next level."

Additionally, IHIE is launching a professional services organization to serve regional and state HIEs, and large health systems across the country. IHIE Professional Services will provide planning and advisory services for all aspects of health information exchange, including governance, strategic planning, policy, trust, stakeholder commitment, product delivery and sustainability. IHIE and AT&T will collaborate on the development and deployment of these services.

"The coordinated collaborative care market is on the brink of transformation. We believe that the future of healthcare is a connected one - where information will be exchanged across states, regions, and eventually across the nation," said Randall Porter, Assistant Vice President, AT&T ForHealth. "Our new relationship with IHIE as the largest exchange across the country will be essential to realizing that vision."

Features of AT&T's Clinical Message Exchange to be utilized by IHIE:

Any-to-any messaging to automate point-to-point communication
Messaging Hub enabling all message translation and routing
Message tracking for audit logging for HIPAA and HITECH purposes
Highly-secure communication and collaboration capabilities across network domains and organizations

AT&T Healthcare Community Online will be demonstrated at the AT&T booth #3829 in Las Vegas at HIMSS12 from Feb. 20 - Feb. 24, 2012.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.

About the Indiana Health Information Exchange

Indiana Health Information Exchange, Inc. (IHIE) is the nation's largest health information exchange organization. IHIE is responsible for securely delivering clinical information to assist with care coordination and improving patient outcomes to more than 80 hospitals and 19,000 physicians. Healthcare providers trust IHIE to deliver critical patient data when and where it is needed most. In addition to hospitals, IHIE also serves long-term care facilities, immediate care centers, public health centers and freestanding labs and imaging centers. IHIE is a non-profit corporation formed by the Regenstrief Institute, private hospitals, local and state health departments, BioCrossroads and other prominent organizations in Indiana. To learn more, visit www.ihie.org

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation's fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse^® and AT&T |DIRECTV brands. The company's suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising.

Additional information about AT&T Inc. and the products and services provided by AT&T subsidiaries and affiliates is available at http://www.att.com. This AT&T news release and other announcements are available at http://www.att.com/newsroom and as part of an RSS feed at www.att.com/rss. Or follow our news on Twitter at @ATT.

^© 2012 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved. Mobile broadband not available in all areas. AT&T, the AT&T logo and all other marks contained herein are trademarks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners.

Cautionary Language Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

Information set forth in this press release contains financial estimates and other forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties, and actual results might differ materially. A discussion of factors that may affect future results is contained in AT&T's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. AT&T disclaims any obligation to update and revise statements contained in this news release based on new information or otherwise.

SOURCE AT&T Inc.

SmartCare Urgent Care Welcomes Dr. Zobair Nagamia as Chief Operating Officer

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:21:46 -0500

Emory Director Has Extensive Ties to Atlanta Area

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Dr. Zobair Nagamia has been named Chief Operating Officer of SmartCare Urgent Care located at 4400 Peachtree Road, NE, according to Samir Bhatia, CEO of SmartCare. Located next to Oglethorpe University, the new SmartCare clinic will open its doors to patients in Early Spring 2012.

“Dr. Nagamia is a respected and well published scientist and physician with deep ties to the Atlanta area,” commented Bhatia. He also added: “With his extensive experience in medical management as the previous Director of Operations at Emory University School of Medicine, division of Geriatric Medicine & Gerontology, Dr. Nagamia is a natural choice for this important leadership role at the new clinic and we are excited to have him join our SmartCare team. His experience will be a great asset to us in building a community partnership with the Buckhead/Brookhaven neighborhood. Dr. Nagamia shares our vision to provide a much needed destination where local residents and visitors can access high quality urgent care doctors when they need them.”

Dr. Nagamia has over 10 years of experience in the management and oversight of clinical trials and managing business operations for the division of Geriatric Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine, as well as managing operations for the Geriatric Education Center at the Atlanta VA.

When open, SmartCare Urgent Care which is a free standing clinic next to Oglethorpe University, will emphasize quality urgent and wellness care services targeted to the busy urban market area it serves in Atlanta. The clinic’s spectrum of services will include treatment for most minor injuries and illnesses from broken bones and lacerations to diarrhea and upper respiratory tract infections. In addition, the clinic will offer Women’s Health Services and Wellness Services including inexpensive flu vaccinations, B12 shots, physicals, immunizations and immediate digital X-ray and lab services.

In addition to Dr. Nagamia, SmartCare Urgent Care’s staff includes other board certified and experienced caring physicians and nurses. The facility will be open daily, walk in patients will always be welcome with no appointment and most insurance will be accepted for ages two and older. For more information, visit the center’s website at www.smartcareuc.com.

CONTACT:

HealthPoint Marketing
Tiffan Davis Gillespie, 615-512-8551
tdgillespie@healthpointmarketing.com

KEYWORDS: United States North America Georgia

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Health Hospitals Other Health

MEDIA:

Logo

Imperial Calcasieu Medical Group Selects Encoda to Provide New Technology for Revenue Cycle Management

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 11:21:41 -0500

LAKE CHARLES, La., Feb. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Imperial Calcasieu Medical Group, a prominent multi-specialty provider group in southwestern Louisiana, has signed an agreement to partner with Encoda, a Philadelphia, PA-based healthcare technology company, to implement Encoda's cutting-edge medical billing automation technology.

Utilizing advanced EDI technology, Encoda BackOffice automates the electronic submission of claims, connecting practices directly to insurance payers and writes back into current PMS systems. Combining this with its own built-in payment poster and business intelligence tools, BackOffice enables users to streamline their revenue cycle by eliminating the manual tasks associated with denial management, significantly reduce days in A/R, increase billing staff productivity, and sustain growth without adding additional employees.

"After evaluating all of the products in the market for enhancing revenue cycle management, Encoda was the only company with the ability to automate many of the manual tasks within the billing process. BackOffice reduces our billing office workload allowing our employees to focus a greater amount of their efforts on value added tasks. I look forward to the substantial efficiency that Encoda will bring to our billing operation." - Lisa Conner, Director of Business Office, Imperial Calcasieu Medical Group

"Imperial Calcasieu Medical Group is excited to have the opportunity to partner with Encoda as they bring their groundbreaking revenue cycle management tools to GE Practice users. Utilizing Encoda BackOffice will give us the strategic ability to sustain our growth without increasing operating costs, allowing our group to maximize our financial potential." - Rick El-Mogazi, CFO, Imperial Calcasieu Medical Group

"We are excited to have the opportunity to work with an industry-leading multi-specialty practice such as Imperial Calcasieu Medical Group. By integrating our revolutionary technology with their existing GE PMS, Encoda will have the opportunity to provide our products and services to the entire GE Practice Solutions community of users. With the power of the Encoda BackOffice, Imperial Calcasieu will have the resources available to work smarter and more efficiently, reducing both their workload and their operating expenses." - Bill Cox, CEO, Encoda

About Encoda

Headquartered just outside Philadelphia, PA, Encoda is a software development company that specializes in automation technologies that enable medical practices to significantly reduce the labor involved in the back office billing process, connect to multiple instances of the same or dissimilar PMS product, utilize powerful Business Intelligence tools and connect directly to their payers, eliminating the delays, errors and fees associated with third party vendors. Encoda has integrated the technology into multiple practice management systems.

Contact: Becky Cardinal
info@encoda.com
888-635-3479

About Imperial Calcasieu Medical Group

Imperial Calcasieu Medical Group is a multi-specialty, private, physician-owned partnership, which has been in existence for over 50 years. The group contains both primary care physicians and specialists providing a full spectrum of high-quality, cost-effective medical, surgical, and diagnostic services. With over 50 providers, 14 locations, and a highly trained team of support professionals, Imperial Calcasieu Medical Group takes pride in delivering accessible care throughout the southwestern Louisiana region.

This press release was issued through eReleases(R). For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE Encoda

Texas Hospital Association Endorses Care Logistics

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:22:00 -0500

Reducing length of stay, infection rates, readmission rates and operational costs for hospitals

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Care Logistics will be working with the Texas Hospital Association (THA) and its marketing subsidiary, HealthSHARE, as part of the five year agreement recently announced with Jackson Healthcare, Care Logistics’ parent company, to identify the first Texas hospitals who will benefit from Care Logistics Hospital Operating System^TM Solution.

THA and HealthSHARE’s endorsement of Care Logistics is an acknowledgment of its industry leadership in achieving total hospital efficiency through implementing process re-engineering, supported by enterprise logistics software and real-time performance analytics. These components are critical to lowering the average length of stay for patients and improving care quality, and can predictably lower a hospital’s operational costs.

“As a result of the Jackson Healthcare partnership,” said Jim Dixon, President and Chief Executive Officer of HealthSHARE, “our hospitals can also utilize the Care Logistics Hospital Operating System to help them achieve system-wide operational efficiencies and capacity increases that can reduce average length of stay and increase the quality of their patient care efforts.”

With more hospitals seeking solutions to address the financial challenges resulting from health care reform and the cost of care delivery, Care Logistics is experiencing significant interest and growth from hospitals that want to improve care coordination, lower costs and improve patient satisfaction. The company is now working with more than a dozen hospitals and their executive leadership teams across the nation, helping them achieve reliable and predictable operational performance, which is the basis for sustainable, dramatic results, including:

A 25% reduction in the average length of stay for patients;
A 49% reduction in infection rates;
A reduction in 7-day readmission rates from 8% to less than 1%;
Increases in hospital operating margins of more than 4% in the first two years;
More than $69.5 million is savings in operational costs alone for Care Logistics customers in the first three years;
More than $50 million of deferred capital costs for one customer alone.

“As we enter 2012, we anticipate an increase in the number of hospitals seeking the operational improvements that we are delivering with our solution. The financial challenge of diminishing reimbursements and the need to prepare for systemic changes brought about by health care reform will compel hospitals to consider a more efficient approach to patient care,” noted Karl Straub, President of Care Logistics. “Supported by our solutions and focusing on the logistics of patient care, hospital CEO’s, committed to our change processes, can expect to improve quality and patient satisfaction while lowering the operational costs to deliver care.”

About Care Logistics

In support of our customers’ operational goals we provide a leadership mindset curriculum, process reengineering and enterprise logistics software, to help our hospitals achieve reliable and predictable operational performance in the areas of throughput, quality, & experience. Care Logistics is a subsidiary of Jackson Healthcare, a group of companies focused on providing the healthcare industry with innovative physician and clinical resources and IT solutions. For more information, contact Care Logistics at 800.930.0870.

Learn more about the dramatic results Care Logistics customers are achieving go to:

www.carelogistics.com/Texas

CONTACT:

Care Logistics
Alyn Ford, 678-690-7956
aford@carelogistics.com

KEYWORDS: United States North America Georgia Texas

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS: Health Hospitals

MEDIA:

Fulcrum Methods to Exhibit at the HIMSS12 Health IT Conference in Las Vegas at the Venetian Sands Expo Center February 20th Thro

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 09:22:04 -0500

OAKLAND, Calif., Feb. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Fulcrum Methods, the leading developer of toolkits to assist health care providers with program management and meaningful use, announced today that it will be exhibiting at the HIMSS12 Health IT Conference in Las Vegas at the Venetian Sands Expo Center from February 20th through February 24th. Hospitals, health systems, and medical groups will be able to learn more about and demo Fulcrum Methods' project-ready tools and templates.

Fulcrum Methods' toolkits include work plans, guidebooks, libraries of deliverables, and online assessment tools that cover systems planning, vendor selection, implementation, building a program management office, ICD-10 transition, and meeting meaningful use requirements. The program management tools and templates have been proven out in the field with a wide variety of hospitals and health systems over a 20-year period. They are encyclopedias of best practices and designed to develop core competencies, accelerate project rollout, and ensure organization knowledge remains in-house.

Users of Fulcrum Methods' tools are well-respected healthcare organizations and include Stanford Hospital & Clinics, a HIMSS Stage 7 organization, and NorthBay Healthcare, which attested to Meaningful Use Stage 1 requirements in November 2011. Other notable clients include Lucile Packard Children's Hospital, University Hospitals (Cleveland), MaineHealth, University of Kentucky HealthCare, John Muir Health, and Community Medical Centers.

Fulcrum Methods also announced that Tim Tarnowski, CIO at University of Kentucky HealthCare, and Joe DeLuca, Knowledge Architect at Fulcrum Methods, will be holding an interactive discussion on Methods For Analytics Program Excellence during the Conference at the Business and Clinical Analytics/Intelligence Center Theatre on Tuesday, February 21st at 1:15 p.m. The discussion will cover the current environment for business and clinical analytics, successfully integrating analytics capabilities into a healthcare organization's long-range plan, how to manage governance around analytics programs, how to select analytics vendors that deliver maximum value, and how to implement analytics around electronic health records. Attendees at the discussion will be eligible to win an Apple iPad.

To learn more about Fulcrum Methods visit us on the exhibit floor at the Business and Clinical Analytics/Intelligence Knowledge Center - Booth 13247 Kiosk 6 or visit http://www.fulcrummethods.com.

About Fulcrum Methods

Fulcrum Methods is the leading provider of program and project management, planning, vendor selection, system implementation, process redesign, change management, and meaningful use toolkits to the healthcare IT industry. Our approach delivers immediate value to healthcare organizations while developing sustained core competencies and proficiency. We are a community of over 1,200 licensed Fulcrum Methods users, influencing 10,000 healthcare professionals who daily oversee thousands of complex initiatives.

Contact:
Rick Beberman
510/287-3927
rbeberman@fulcrummethods.com

This press release was issued through eReleases(R). For more information, visit eReleases Press Release Distribution at http://www.ereleases.com.

SOURCE Fulcrum Methods