Healthcare IT News - November 2007 - (Page 37) www.HealthcareITNews.com November 2007 ■ Healthcare IT News 37 NEWSBRIEFS MEdSphERE SyStEMS, kEaNE aNNouNcE paRtNERShIp The Medsphere Systems Corp. and Keane, Inc. have announced a partnership designed to provide hospitals with an integrated suite of clinical and financial software. Medsphere, of Aliso Viejo, Calif., will integrate its OpenVista electronic health record (EHR) platform with San Ramon, Calif.-based Keane’s EZ-Access Patcom revenue cycle management solution. The partnership grew out of a joint implementation at hospitals operated by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Services and at Century City Doctor’s Hospital in Los Angeles. Nuance goes on a buying spree Additions of Commissure, Vocada will enhance Dictaphone’s solutions. By ErIC WICkluNd, Managing Editor Ordering and analyzing medical images can be a time-consuming and expensive process for both the radiologist and the patient. Nuance Communications, developers of the Dictaphone suite of speech and imaging solutions, is looking to make BURLINGTON, MA – GE acquires Dynamic Imaging By BErNIE MoNEgaIN, Editor BARRINGTON, IL – GE Healthcare that process easier. Last month the Burlington, Mass.-based company announced the acquisition of Commissure, Inc., a medical imaging software company that provides speech-enabled radiology workflow optimization and data analysis solutions. Peter Durlach, Nuance’s Peter Durlach senior vice president of healthcare marketing and product strategy, said the deal allows Nuance to tap into a “richer set of solutions” that will improve how diagnostic exams are ordered, interpreted, documented, shared and analyzed. Durlach and Paul Ricci, Nuance’s CEO and chairman, pointed out that exams and studies make up a large segment of the average cost of healthcare. With reimbursements for imaging studies dropping and insurers pushing for pre-certification of all exams, hospitals and physician groups need an NuaNCE see page 38 LaWSoN ExpaNdS coNtRact WIth pERcEptIvE SoFtWaRE Lawson Software of St. Paul, Minn. has announced an expansion of its partnership with Perceptive Software, developer of ImageNow enterprise document management and imaging software solutions. A Lawson partner since 2001, Perceptive Software, based in Shawnee, Kan., will provide content management solutions to Lawson customers. In addition, Perceptive is now classified as a Gold-level partner in Lawson’s Complementary Partner Program. pRactIcE FuSIoN uNvEILS FREE pM/EMR SuItE San Francisco-based Practice Fusion has announced the availability of a free, ondemand, no-risk Practice Management and EMR suite. Ryan Howard, the company’s CEO, said in a press release that the new product condenses the conventional decision cycle for EMR systems from 12-18 months to about one day and comes without licensing or hosting fees, special hardware needs or complicated implementations. “We want to change that experience, make it less risky and more approachable, as easy for a practicioner to start using our EMR as setting up an email account,” he said. MEdIWaRE agREES to acquIRE doNatIoN cENtER vENdoR Mediware Information Systems, Inc., of Lenexa, Kan., a provider of ClosedLoop clinical systems for blood and medication management, has signed an agreement to acquire Integrated Marketing Solutions (IMS), which provides software products and services targeting blood and plasma donation centers in North America and Europe. IMS, with offices in Baltimore and Jacksonville, Fla., and 32 customers in the United States, enables blood and plasma collection facilities with automated and online software to better manage relationships with donors, staff and hospitals. More at HealthcareITNews.com e Connect: VeNDorS 1107 executives say the recent acquisition of Dynamic Imaging will allow the company to expand its information technology products and services across all segments of healthcare and help redefine the market. Dynamic Imaging, based in Allendale, N.J., provides Web-based image and information management with its IntegradWeb suite of products. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. “Dynamic Imaging has a strong track record of innovation and a family of top-rated products that are highly complementary to our existing offering,” said Don Woodlock, vice president and global general manager of imaging solutions at GE Healthcare. The acquisition builds on GE Healthcare’s strategy to combine early diagnosis with information technology to enable a new “early health” model of care focused on earlier diagnosis, pre-symptomatic disease detection and disease prevention, he added. Alex Jurovitsky, CEO of T-System unveils new EDIS suite By ErIC WICkluNd, Managing Editor GE Healthcare, based in Barrington, Ill., recently acquired Dynamic Imaging. Dynamic Imaging, said the simplicity and power of Dynamic Imaging’s Web-based picture archiving and communication system (PACS) and integrated RIS/PACS, combined with GE’s broad suite of IT offerings would “redefine the market’s expectation for complete interpretive and review access, by any authorized user, of any imaging study, anytime, anywhere.” “Information technology is revolutionizing healthcare throughout the world,” said Nogah Haramati, MD, chief of radiology at Montefiore Medical Center in New York. “(The) announcement is a giant step forward for healthcare IT. It pairs best practices and best-of-breed systems in the evaluations of patients using cutting edge functionality, ergonomics, user interfaces and information technology expertise. Patients and healthcare providers world-wide will be the primary beneficiaries.” ■ More at HealthcareITNews.com e Connect: iMagiNg 1107 The nation’s emergency departments are shrinking each year by about 18 percent, and yet emergency room visits are rising about 1 percent a year. Little wonder, then, that emergency department information systems (EDIS) are in high demand. On Oct. 8, Dallas-based T-System released the latest version of its EDIS product, the T-SystemEV 2.6. The release includes new computerized provider order entry (CPOE), real-time automation of APC facility levels and an enhanced tracking dashboard that improves waiting room and treatment room management and allows quick responses to ED emergencies. “Emergency departments are unique locations with visibility and regulatory DALLAS – EdIS see page 39 ● U.S. Preventive Medicine targets chronic conditions By ErIC WICkluNd, Managing Editor Is PREVENTION the SOLUTION to America’s healthcare challenge? A nationally representative sample of U.S. adults 18 years and older was asked, “What in your opinion are solutions to America’s healthcare challenges?” Greater national emphasis on preventive health services Government-required health insurance for everyone (universal healthcare) Health Savings Accounts with tax incentives that encourage people to save money for medical needs ● The timing couldn’t be better. One day after U.S. Preventive Medicine announced its acquisition of Specialty Disease Management Services, Inc., a national provider of chronic condition and health management services based in Jacksonville, DALLAS – Fla., the Milken Institute released a study indicating that chronic diseases have an annual impact on the U.S. economy of about $1 trillion – and could balloon to $6 trillion by the middle of the century. Specialty Disease Management Services contracts with prEvENTIvE see page 40 68.6% 61.3% 48% SOURCE: INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH STUDy, COMMISSIONED By U.S. PREVENTIVE MEDICINE, JULy 2007 e ● Connect: graPHS 1107 http://www.HealthcareITNews.com http://www.HealthcareITNews.com http://www.healthcareitnews.com/story.cms?id=8057 http://www.HealthcareITNews.com http://www.healthcareitnews.com/story.cms?id=8061
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