Allscripts news from FierceHealthcare

> With thousands of its nurses poised to go on a 10-day strike, Sutter Health is telling the public that business will still go on as usual. Read more...

All U.S. physicians should have free online access to electronic prescribing technology before the end of the month, courtesy of a new initiative from various tech firms, health insurers, and major physician groups. The $100 million National E-Prescribing Patient Safety Initiative (NEPSI) launched Tuesday with a Washington press conference attended by former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Medicare chief Dr. Mark McClellan, as well as what one speaker called a "who's who of …

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> GE Healthcare will pay $390 million to buy Sweden's Biacore, a maker of  machines for the life sciences industry, extending GE's move into that business after the purchase of Amersham International. Article (WSJ sub. req.)

> Sen. Hilary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) talked up EMRs at a conference on Long Island attended by hundreds of healthcare execs. …

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> Dr. Lee Jong-wook, the head of the World Health Organization, died on Monday after emergency surgery for a blood clot to the brain. Article

> Ten former employees came forward to accuse CEO Haddad of Boston's Caritas Christi Health Care System of harassment since the Boston Globe's article on his behavior. …

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The markets took note as AllScripts released first quarter numbers that show improvement in the company's software business. Revenue from software and related services nearly doubled to $28.3 million. Allscript's shares were up ten percent today, rising to $19.85 before showing signs of cooling. Despite some versions that suggest that earnings were below expectation, investors appear to be cheered by increased future earnings forecasts. AllScripts acquired A4Health Systems in January. The …

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Midland Memorial Hospital announced a deal with AllScripts to deploy Allscripts Healthmatics ED in its emergency department. The system allows personnel to document new arrivals at bedside, improving patient flow and clinical documentation processes. Midland Memorial plans to integrate the system with the Precision 2000 Admit-Discharge-Transfer (ADT) system by McKesson. Midland Memorial is somewhat of a pioneer in that it's the first major site for the OpenVista system produced by MedSphere Systems.

- read this AllScripts release

There are a few significant developments in Washington already this week in advance of the WHCC: Microsoft announced Knowledge-Driven Health Plans, a healthcare initiative that the company says "will improve care and reduce costs" by encouraging providers to adopt Microsoft software. The software giant announced more than 20 partners in the drive, including Hewlett-Packard, Tata Consultancy Services, Infosys and AllScripts. Article 

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If the word of Massachusetts doctors is anything to go by, the electronic medical record system made by eClinicalWorks may be the next big thing. In an experiment arranged by the Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative, about 180 doctors' groups in three communities have been given all expense-paid EMR installations as part of a pilot project. The practices were treated to presentations by GE Healthcare, Allscripts and NextGen as well as eClinicalworks. The verdict was almost unanimous: 170 …

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> The DOD's new AHLTA electronic medical record system is getting some poor reviews from military physicians who say that it's slowing them down. Report

> Buck Consultants, a unit of outsourcer, ACS is working with ON Semiconductor to provide a range of healthcare consulting services. Release

> Dissident shareholder …

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> Canadian hospitals say their experience dealing with the 2003 SARS epidemic has a left them a little bit better prepared for a pandemic. Article

> Chutes & Ladders: Aneesh Chopra, Virginia's new technology czar, moves into government from a position at the Advisory Board.  …

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