Health system to deploy Merge PACS™ for radiology and Merge ECM™ as a vendor neutral archive
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Merge Healthcare (NASDAQ: MRGE), a leading health IT solutions provider, today announced that Northeast Hospital Corporation (NHC), a Massachusetts-based integrated delivery system which includes hospitals, an outpatient care center, and affiliations with area rehabilitation and long term care facilities, will deploy a Picture Archiving and Communications System (PACS) from Merge, as well as the Merge ECM, a vendor neutral archive, to integrate all imaging throughout the system.
“In the current healthcare environment, it is essential for a provider to evaluate every system to ensure it is performing at peak efficiency and providing the highest quality and value,” explained Dawn Jakab-Cram, Imaging Informatics Manager at NHC. “With that in mind, we planned for the selection process to span several months and involve stakeholders from across the organization, because buying an image management solution is a complex decision. Our clinicians desired a solution that effectively supports their workflow, instead of changing to accommodate the application, and a vendor who could meet both our current and future needs. With Merge, we now have a true partner, and a solution that creates the backbone for a multidisciplinary imaging environment.”
NHC began the selection process in 2009 with the intent of looking at the newest solutions from both their current vendor and others in the market. The selection team included representatives from radiology, information systems, surgery, emergency services, contracting, and risk management departments. The group unanimously selected Merge based on factors critical to each function, including:
- Increased functionality and interoperability for radiology
- Advanced systems management capabilities and ability to leverage existing hardware investments for information systems
- Sophisticated critical results reporting for risk management
- Clinical communication improvements, such as status updates between specific clinician groups
- Positive return on investment based on clear clinical efficiencies and statistical reporting for administration.
- Vendor-neutral archiving capabilities to store imaging data across multiple sites, multiple specialties, and multiple vendors.
“The radiologists are quite excited about the increased capabilities of this new system,” noted Dr. M.J. O’Neill, Medical Director of Imaging Informatics for NHC. “We believe the Merge solution is best suited to assist us in providing the highest quality, most accessible, and timeliest care possible.”
“Working with a thoughtful and thorough customer like NHC is very rewarding for Merge,” added Justin Dearborn, Merge CEO. “Our depth of expertise and solutions both in specialty image management and overall interoperability are proving to be very relevant in the current healthcare environment. Customers need to make purchases now that give them the proper infrastructure and relationship to efficiently move toward Meaningful Use, as created through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, and future quality initiatives.”
Merge Healthcare develops and integrates information technology to create a better electronic healthcare experience. Merge products, ranging from standards-based development toolkits to sophisticated clinical applications, have been used by healthcare providers, vendors and researchers worldwide for over 20 years. Additional information can be found at www.merge.com.
The matters discussed in this news release may include forward-looking statements, which could involve a number of risks and uncertainties. When used in this press release, the words “will”, “believes”, “intends”, “anticipates”, “expects” and similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. Except as expressly required by the federal securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update such factors or to publicly announce the results of any of the forward-looking statements.
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Merge Healthcare
Media Contact:
Julie Pekarek
Vice President, Marketing
262.912.3414
[email protected]
KEYWORDS: United States North America Illinois Massachusetts
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