FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Midland Memorial Hospital Selects Medsphere to Implement
Medsphere OpenVista Electronic Health Record
Medsphere Pioneers Adoption of the First EHR Based on an Open-Source Platform
ALISO VIEJO, California, Feb. 14, 2005 - Medsphere Systems Corporation, provider of Medsphere OpenVista, a fully integrated Electronic Health Record (EHR) that enhances the safety, efficiency, and quality of health care delivery, announced today that Midland Memorial Hospital, located in Midland, Texas, has signed an agreement to implement the Medsphere OpenVista solution across three hospital campuses and two outpatient facilities.
"Midland Memorial's search for an enterprise EHR was not something we took lightly." said David Whiles, Director of Information Systems at Midland Memorial Hospital, "We assembled interdepartmental teams and executive committees to ensure all of our needs across the enterprise would be addressed and consistent with our strategic plan. We quickly realized that traditional solutions in the market were financially out of our reach. Yet, we remained committed to finding a comprehensive and proven system, and this commitment led us to the open source community and Medsphere OpenVista. We have been particularly impressed with Medsphere's professional service offering which provides the expertise required to enhance the FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) VistA code, deploy the system and train and support the staff at our hospital."
Medsphere has enhanced the Department of Veteran Affairs' (VA's) highly acclaimed open-source VistA Electronic Health Record to develop Medsphere OpenVista for the commercial market. Medsphere OpenVista is comprised of a comprehensive suite of clinical, financial, and administrative modules that provide functionality across the acute, ambulatory and long-term care environments. Highlights of the system include a fully integrated Electronic Medical Record (EMR), Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE), Bar Code Medication Administration (BCMA) and Picture Archiving and Communication (PACS) solution. Medsphere will implement the patient information management, laboratory, pharmacy, radiology, dietetics, and computerized patient record system to create a electronic health record for Midland Memorial Hospital that is cost-effective, comprehensive, and proven. Over 1,300 sites, including 158 medical centers and approximately 850 related clinics, currently utilize VistA to improve patient safety, clinical efficiency and healthcare quality.
"Medsphere Systems Corporation was founded to address a critical and underserved need in small to medium-sized hospitals: a cost-effective, comprehensive and proven solution that can help improve the quality and safety of healthcare delivery," said Scott Shreeve, MD, co-founder and Chief Medical Officer of Medsphere. "Medsphere has developed and supports a commercially viable Medsphere OpenVista product that helps provide better, safer and more consistent care to all patients. In addition, we have built an elite professional services organization that provides the expertise to accelerate and enhance the adoption of Medsphere OpenVista within the healthcare enterprise."
The VA's record of improving the quality of its care over the past decade is now a well-documented example of organizational transformation and prompted The Washington Monthly to write that VA provided "the best care anywhere" in its January-February 2005 issue. The deployment of the fully integrated VistA electronic health record was a significant factor in VA's remarkable transformation, according to Kenneth W. Kizer, MD, MPH. Dr. Kizer served as the veteran health care system's chief executive officer from 1994 through 1999, and is largely credited as the visionary behind VistA's system wide roll out within the VA. "VistA was a key tool in supporting our patient safety, evidence-based medicine and other healthcare quality initiatives," said Kizer. "Now, Medsphere is playing a leading role in transferring this powerful tool to the private sector, where organizations like Midland Memorial can benefit from this legacy of success."
About Midland Memorial Hospital
Midland Memorial Hospital is a 371 licensed bed hospital, operating on two campuses in Midland, Texas. Owned and operated by Midland County Hospital District, MMH provides a full range of acute care services to the people of Midland, while serving as a regional referral center for other communities throughout west Texas and southeast New Mexico. Specialty services include emergency medicine, cardiovascular surgery, and advanced radiological and oncology services.About Medsphere Systems Corporation
As the Open Source source for healthcare, Medsphere is revolutionizing the industry by delivering commercially supported software based on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' proven VistA electronic health record (EHR). Medsphere offers healthcare an economically sustainable and comprehensive solution in OpenVista®, a portfolio of products and professional services for hospitals, clinics, and integrated delivery networks. The company addresses the capital constraints of the healthcare industry through an innovative subscription-based pricing model. Medsphere's experienced team of healthcare technology professionals and unique suite of implementation tools deliver a fluid transition to a comprehensive healthcare information technology solution. Founded in 2002, Medsphere is backed financially by Azure Capital Partners, Thomas Weisel Venture Partners, and the Wasatch Venture Fund. For more information, visit www.medsphere.com.Contacts
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Corporate: Rick Jung Chief Operating Officer Medsphere Systems Corporation (949) 297-8182 office rick.jung@medsphere.com |
Media: Marisa Borgasano Schwartz Communications (415) 512-0770 (office) medsphere@schwartz-pr.com |