Lancaster General Health Moves to McKesson PACS As Part of Comprehensive E-Health Initiative

Pennsylvania healthcare provider anticipates improvements in productivity and patient care

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Set to launch its new electronic health initiative by April 2011, Lancaster General Health (LG Health) has signed an enterprise medical imaging agreement with McKesson aimed at improving radiologist and physician workflow and overall patient care. McKesson’s Horizon Medical Imaging picture archiving and communications system (PACS) and Horizon Study Shareweb-based reference case management solution will be deployed across the network of hospitals and diagnostic centers in Lancaster County and Southeast Pennsylvania.

The PACS is designed to integrate seamlessly with the LG Health data archive, health information system (HIS) and electronic health record (EHR). The initiative is expected to eliminate cumbersome processes and functionality limitations that have long hampered productivity at the organization.

“We were very specific and direct in our demands for a vendor. We knew to be successful and make real change we needed an IT solution from an IT company that could meet our current and future needs,” explained Dr. Leigh Shuman, a staff radiologist with Lancaster Radiology Associates and Medical Director for PACS Implementation. “McKesson’s system has the scalability and functionality to handle our increasing study volume and escalating demand for faster service.”

Dr. Shuman also points to the speed and integration capabilities of McKesson’s PACS as differentiators in replacing its legacy system. “The ability to have the PACS component fully integrated within the EHR platform should revolutionize our workflows and patient care,” he said, noting the new system will eliminate current data silos and disparate workstations. “Quick access to all patient information, including images, on a single screen makes our service that much more valuable to the market, which measures report turnaround times in minutes, not hours and days.”

LG Health radiologists also expect to benefit from the online reference case management solution which aids diagnostic decision-making by providing access to relevant cases of interest and peer-to-peer conferencing. The offering enables radiologists to access the referral archive via the Internet from virtually anywhere supporting a 24/7 radiologist reporting response for urgent cases.

“We’ve been locked into an outdated PACS system long enough to know the impact this replacement will have on our ability to provide high-quality, advanced care to the Lancaster County community,” said Karl Gross, Administrative Director of Diagnostic Imaging for LG Health. “McKesson listened to our concerns and healthcare delivery goals. With them, we have a partner that can deliver a PACS platform to carry us into the future.”

“We’re committed to helping healthcare leaders like Lancaster General Health address workflow and productivity challenges with healthcare IT solutions designed to seamlessly operate enterprise-wide,” said Rod O’Reilly, president Medical Imaging Group, McKesson Provider Technologies. “With McKesson, Lancaster General radiologists and doctors will have at their fingertips the medical imaging information required to provide effective and reliable patient care.”

About Lancaster General Health

Lancaster General Health is a 640-licensed bed not-for-profit health system with a comprehensive network of care. Twice designated a Magnet hospital for nursing excellence, LG Health has been recognized regionally and nationally for its cardiology, intensive care unit and cardiology and orthopedic services. Facilities include Lancaster General Hospital, Women & Babies Hospital, the Downtown and Suburban Outpatient Pavilions, along with additional Outpatient Centers and Express and Urgent Care locations throughout the region. Other system organizations include Lancaster General College of Nursing & Health Sciences; VNA Community Care Services; Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic; Lancaster Rehabilitation Hospital, in partnership with Centerre-Healthcare; and Lancaster General Medical Group. For more information, visit www.LGHealth.org.

About McKesson

McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 14th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and information technology company dedicated to helping its customers deliver high-quality healthcare by reducing costs, streamlining processes, and improving the quality and safety of patient care. Over the course of its 177-year history, McKesson has grown by providing pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management across the spectrum of care; healthcare information technology for hospitals, physicians, homecare and payors; hospital and retail pharmacy automation; and services for manufacturers and payors designed to improve outcomes for patients. For more information, visit http://www.mckesson.com.



CONTACT:

McKesson
Yancey Casey, 404-338-2468
[email protected]

KEYWORDS:   United States  North America  Georgia  Pennsylvania

INDUSTRY KEYWORDS:   Technology  Software  Practice Management  Health  Hospitals

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