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PRINCETON, N.J., July 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Derma Sciences, Inc. (BULLETIN BOARD: DSCI) , a provider of advanced wound care products, announced that it has reached a two year distribution agreement for its MEDIHONEY(TM) line with Irving, TX-based Novation, the leading health care contracting services company, serving more than 2,500 members of VHA Inc. and the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC), two national health care alliances and nearly 13,000 members of Provista, LLC. The 24-month agreement runs through June 2010.
“This is our third key group purchasing organization (GPO) agreement for MEDIHONEY, and we continue to be encouraged that Novation and other organizations seek to provide access to this important new technology to their members,” said Edward Quilty, Chairman and CEO of Derma Sciences. “We are particularly fortunate to be able to partner with Novation, which is a leading top-tier GPO. Its members are noted for their outcomes-oriented approach to clinical improvements, and are consistently seeking cutting-edge technologies. We are confident that MEDIHONEY, with the clinical benefits it provides above and beyond those of other advanced wound care dressings, will be a great fit for the members of Novation. Access to the thousands of new customers, through our new technology agreement with Novation, presents a significant and growth opportunity for Derma Sciences.”
The MEDIHONEY line of dressings, containing Active Leptospermum Honey, is used for managing a wide variety of wounds and burns. In July, the FDA gave its initial clearance of MEDIHONEY, and the product was launched last fall. Two additional clearances for line extensions have been granted since that time. Sales have increased rapidly, and over 20 clinical abstracts on the use of the product have been accepted at various professional conferences so far in 2008.
Novation defines new medical technology as a new device or product that offers an incremental patient care or safety benefit over devices or products currently available and that are used to diagnose or treat a patient by a clinician. In addition, a new device or product may be the first of its kind in the market or an improvement over existing technology within the same product class or category.
About Novation(R)
Founded in 1998, Novation is the leading health care contracting services company for more than 2,500 members of VHA Inc. and the University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC), two national health care alliances and nearly 13,000 members of Provista, LLC. Novation offers its customers contract development and management, supply chain data and measurement, and industry knowledge and advocacy. Based in Irving, Texas, Novation develops and manages competitive contracts with more than 500 suppliers. VHA, UHC and Provista members used Novation contracts to purchase more than $33.1 billion in 2007. For more information on Novation, visit .
About Derma Sciences
Derma Sciences is a global manufacturer and marketer of advanced wound- care products. Its key product, MEDIHONEY, is sold throughout the world by Derma Sciences and Comvita New Zealand — the licensor of the patented honey- based technology — and is the leading brand of honey-based dressings for the management of wounds and burns. The product has been shown to be effective in a variety of wounds and burns, and was recently the focus of a large-scale randomized controlled trial on leg ulcers. Derma has two products in development: the BIOGUARD(TM) line of barrier gauze dressings, and DSC127, the company’s novel angiotensin analog for accelerated wound healing and scar reduction. The barrier technology was licensed from Quick-Med in Q1 of 2007 and is pending its initial FDA marketing clearance. DSC127 was licensed from The University of Southern California in Q4 of 2007 and is entering into a Phase II study, with anticipated initial patient enrollment to begin in Q3 of 2008. For more information about Derma Sciences, Inc., visit its home page on the Internet at .
Contact: Derma Sciences, Inc. Allen & Caron Inc
Edward J. Quilty Rudy Barrio (US Investors)
Chairman and CEO
(609) 514-4744 Brian Kennedy (media)

(212) 691-8087

Derma Sciences, Inc.

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MIAMI, July 24 /PRNewswire/ — MDwebLive, an innovative medical service where patients can communicate with their doctors, face-to-face in real time, via webcam, has recently partnered with Bayview Center for Mental Health, South Florida’s premier mental health provider. Together, the two organizations will provide online mental healthcare services nationwide. In the face of federal budget cuts, this partnership will expand outpatient mental health treatment options, while reducing overall costs.
For 29 years, Bayview has offered a continuum of mental health and addiction treatment services in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. MDwebLive uses the latest in internet technology to create a unique doctor-patient experience from the privacy of the client’s home or office. By combining their services, both companies will be able to reach segments of the population which have been neglected.
To celebrate their partnership, MDwebLive is waiving the program’s membership fee for all potential customers during the month of July and intends to honor our armed forces by offering special deals for veterans and those who are still deployed.
Current members of the armed forces and veterans are invited to communicate with our doctors and to access quality health services from any location with a broadband connection.
About MDwebLive:
MDwebLive is a brand name of Amerigroup Holdings, Inc. created to provide a convenient and cost effective alternative to standard healthcare delivery. It is the first program of its kind where patients can communicate with their doctors via webcam anywhere in the world. All physicians of MDwebLive are U.S.-trained and board-certified in many specialties. MDwebLive provides healthcare access to consumers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The program stores patients’ medical records electronically which can be accessed from any computer on the Internet. For more information, please visit
About Bayview Center for Mental Health:
Bayview Center for Mental health is a Non-profit Community health Agency providing behavioral health services since 1979 with locations in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. Bayview Center provides a strong continuum of quality services. For more information, please call (305) 892-4600.
Amerigroup Holdings, Inc.

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PITTSBURGH, July 24 /PRNewswire/ — health Monitoring Systems (HMS) (), pioneering health informatics specialists, said today that Karen S. Dockrell has been appointed vice president, sales.
Dockrell brings more than 17 years of experience in sales, sales management and product distribution for a range of healthcare technology, medical device and pharmaceutical companies.
“Karen has an impressive track record of delivering complex solutions to the healthcare market. As we broaden the reach of our healthcare services, the combination of our analytic skills and Karen’s knowledge of healthcare and its needs provides a solid base as we further develop this critical channel,” said Kevin Hutchison, HMS CEO and president. “We are excited about the value that Karen will add to our client solutions.”
Prior to joining HMS this month, Dockrell was vice president, national account sales, for Omnicare, a Covington, Kentucky-based provider of pharmaceutical care services for the elderly.
Previously, she had an almost 10-year career with various units of McKesson, Inc., and related companies. Through a series of positions with increasing leadership responsibilities, Dockrell managed sales of software, robotics and automation tools for hospitals and others in the healthcare industry.
Said Dockrell, “HMS’ ability to process large amounts of data and generate actionable analysis in real time will be a tremendous benefit to the healthcare market as they look to improve quality of care, increase efficiencies and comply with reporting requirements. This company has a great product with huge potential and I am thrilled to be a part of it.”
ABOUT health MONITORING SYSTEMS (HMS)
HMS () is a privately held company specializing in healthcare data analysis. HMS analyzes health-related data in real time using a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model. Using HMS’ SaaS, customers increase their understanding of regional health conditions, improve quality and efficiency, and ensure regulatory compliance.
The company’s EpiCenter(TM) system is pioneering a new era of community health surveillance. The Web-based system is equipped with data analysis and collaboration tools to give healthcare personnel and public health epidemiologists a single, clear and accurate view of current and emerging health-related conditions, ranging from seasonal illnesses to potentially catastrophic events such as pandemic influenza and bioterrorism attacks. Among other attributes, EpiCenter can interoperate with other health-related systems, allowing agencies to leverage existing investments, and providing a single system to analyze the wide range of data sources. Other HMS services include Mergence(TM), an open source healthcare data integration engine. HMS collects and analyzes data from more than 300 hospitals and other providers across the country.
Media Contact
John Buckman
health Monitoring Systems
412.231.2020

Health Monitoring Systems

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CINCINNATI, July 24 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Streamline health Solutions, Inc. today announced that Catholic Healthcare West (CHW), the nation’s eighth largest hospital system based in San Francisco, has selected Streamline Health’s enterprise document management and workflow solutions for select hospitals and medical centers. These solutions will integrate with CHW’s current systems, including Cerner and McKesson, to establish a single point of access to essential health information.
Elevating Patient Care with Technology
With a mission to deliver excellent, compassionate and affordable healthcare, Catholic Healthcare West, with facilities in California, Arizona and Nevada, is dedicated to improving the quality of life in all the communities it serves. This not-for-profit organization is investing strategically in technology enhancements that will improve the ability of its more than 9,500 physicians and approximately 50,000 employees to care for all in need. Streamline health will help enhance efficiencies at specific CHW hospital facilities with the implementation of a permanent, document-based repository of health information and workflow solutions to improve business and clinical processes.
“Streamline health offers an integrated solution that is focused on creating greater operating efficiencies across our facilities,” stated Kelley Moore, Vice President, Enterprise and Hospital Technology, Catholic Healthcare West. “Our healthcare professionals will have immediate access to comprehensive patient information when they need it, expediting workflows to optimize patient care and streamline overall business processes.”
Streamline Health’s enterprise document workflow solutions will equip healthcare professionals at CHW with seamless access to document-based patient information. CHW has selected Streamline Health’s enterprise solution, consisting of the health Information Management (HIM) suite and Patient Financial Services (PFS) suite, with accessANYware(TM), Completion Workflow, Coding Workflow and Release of Information Workflow. CHW will also use Streamline Health’s Document Capture products, such as RegScan(TM), PowerScan(TM) and DataManager(TM), to deliver high-speed production scanning and indexing, as well as departmental document capture and management.
“We are very pleased to help Catholic Healthcare West achieve operational efficiencies through our integrated approach to document workflow,” stated Brian Patsy, president and CEO of Streamline Health. “Our solutions will help enhance CHW’s business processes and increase productivity by improving the flow of patient health information across the spectrum of care. Ultimately, our solutions will result in cost savings for CHW, for a real return on investment.”
About Streamline health Solutions, Inc.
Streamline health is a leading supplier of workflow and document management tools, applications and services that enable strategic business partners and healthcare organizations to improve operational efficiencies through business process optimization. The Company provides integrated technology solutions for automating document-intensive environments, including document workflow, document management, e-forms, portal connectivity, optical character recognition (OCR), and interoperability.
Streamline Health’s solutions create a permanent document-based repository of historical health information that is complementary and can be seamlessly integrated with existing disparate clinical, financial and administrative information systems, providing convenient electronic access to all forms of patient information from any location, including secure web-based access. For additional information, visit our website at .
About Catholic Healthcare West
Founded in 1986, the CHW network of more than 9,500 physicians and approximately 50,000 employees serve a population spanning 22 million people at 41 hospitals across California, Arizona, and Nevada. CHW is committed to delivering compassionate, high-quality, affordable healthcare services with special attention to the poor and underserved. In 2007 CHW provided $922 million in charity care, community benefits, and unreimbursed patient care. Catholic Healthcare West (CHW) is the eighth largest hospital system in the nation and the largest not-for-profit hospital provider in California. For more information, please visit our website at .
“Safe Harbor” statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995
Statements made by Streamline health Solutions, Inc. that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties. The forward-looking statements contained herein are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in the forward-looking statements, included herein. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to, the timing of the closing of contracts and the timing of the subsequent revenue recognition related thereto, the impact of competitive products and pricing, product demand and market acceptance, new product development, key strategic alliances with vendors that resell the Company products, the ability of the Company to control costs, availability of products produced from third party vendors, the healthcare regulatory environment, healthcare information systems budgets, availability of healthcare information systems trained personnel for implementation of new systems, as well as maintenance of legacy systems, fluctuations in operating results and other risks detailed from time to time in the Streamline health Solutions, Inc. filings with the U. S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect management’s analysis only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly release the results of any revision to these forward-looking statements, which may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
COMPANY CONTACT:
Carolyn Stendahl
Marketing Comm. Manager
(513) 794-7100

Streamline health Solutions, Inc.

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SEATTLE, July 22 /PRNewswire/ — Milliman Care Guidelines LLC, A Milliman Company, has established an award for clients who are using the company’s evidence-based clinical guidelines and software to improve healthcare delivery.
The company will name the first recipients of The Richard L. Doyle Award for Innovation and Leadership in Healthcare during its next Client Forum, April 2009, in Miami. Dr. Doyle developed the first Milliman Care Guidelines(R) products in 1990.
The Care Guidelines were the first clinical guidelines to offer a proactive, “look-ahead,” approach to most conditions, allowing clinicians to see the entire continuum of care for a patient, and to identify milestones along the road to recovery. Today, Care Guidelines products and software are licensed by more than 1,000 clients, including six of the seven largest US health plans, as they strive to deliver optimal care to their patients and members.
The Doyle Award is intended to encourage clients to develop innovative ways to apply the Care Guidelines to improve healthcare management. Applicants are asked to demonstrate the positive effects of the Care Guidelines on healthcare quality or patient safety; on patient, member, payor or external quality agency satisfaction; on staff efficiency, or on healthcare cost.
The grand prize winner will receive two paid registrations to the Client Forum, including travel and lodging, and their accomplishments will be recognized in an opening-day plenary session. The organization will receive a crystal trophy for display, and Milliman Care Guidelines will host a reception for client employees at the winner’s location. All applicants will have the option to describe their work and share best practices in a general poster session during the Client Forum.
Doyle Award applications will be judged by a panel of healthcare experts who are familiar with the Care Guidelines, but are independent of Milliman. Judges include:
– Leah Binder, Chief Executive Officer of The Leapfrog Group
– Dr. Richard L. Doyle, Originator of the Milliman Care Guidelines (retired)
— Liza Greenberg, President of health Project Consulting
— Donna Merrick, Director of Standards Development for URAC
— Michael Millenson, President of health Quality Advisors

Licensed users of the Care Guidelines may contact Milliman representatives or visit The Doyle Award web page at for application details.
About Richard L. Doyle, MD
Dr. Doyle is the visionary behind the Milliman Care Guidelines. He began creating clinical guidelines as San Diego’s Mercy Hospital Chief of Staff in the 1980s to help improve hospital efficiency and quality. In 1990, Dr. Doyle joined Milliman (then Milliman & Robertson) to publish the company’s first clinical guidelines, then called Healthcare Management Guidelines. Before retiring in 1997, he had produced the original editions of four of the Care Guidelines products currently in use.
About Milliman Care Guidelines
Milliman Care Guidelines LLC, A Milliman Company, is located in Seattle, and independently develops and produces evidence-based clinical guidelines and a variety of software options that are used to support the care of almost two-thirds of US health plan members. Covering the continuum of care, the seven-product Care Guidelines series is updated annually by an experienced team of clinicians, and includes Ambulatory Care, Inpatient and Surgical Care, General Recovery Guidelines, Recovery Facility Care, Home Care, Chronic Care Guidelines and Behavioral health Guidelines. For more information, visit .
About Milliman
Milliman Care Guidelines is a wholly owned subsidiary of Milliman, which serves the full spectrum of business, financial, government, and union organizations. Founded in 1947 as Milliman & Robertson, the company has 48 offices in principal cities in the United States and worldwide. Milliman employs more than 2,000 people, including a professional staff of more than 900 qualified consultants and actuaries. The firm has consulting practices in healthcare, employee benefits, life insurance/financial services, and property & casualty insurance. For more information, visit .
Milliman Care Guidelines LLC

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NEW YORK, July 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — The American Psychoanalytic Association (APsaA), ardent protectors of medical privacy (), are today urging Members of House Energy and Commerce Committee to recognize and protect the right to health information privacy by voting NO on the PRO(TECH)T Act () unless it recognizes and protects the patient’s right to privacy for electronic health information. APsaA’s full letter of request to the members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee is available by clicking here. ()
Accordingly, in the interest of preserving quality health care and developing a national electronic health information system that the public will accept, APsaA asks that the PRO(TECH)T Act include at least the following provisions:
– Recognition of the individual’s right to privacy for his or her health information;
– Recognition of the right of consent for routine disclosures other than those required by law;
– Preservation of the psychotherapist-patient privilege on the federal and state levels; and
– Preservation of the right of the individual to pay out of pocket and not have information about those health services disclosed without patient consent, unless otherwise required by law.
Founded in 1911, APsaA is a professional organization of psychoanalysts throughout the United States. The Association is composed of Affiliate Societies and Training Institutes in many cities and has approximately 3,300 individual members.
APsaA is a regional association of the International Psychoanalytical Association.
American Psychoanalytic Association

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POWELL, Ohio, July 21 /PRNewswire/ — Click4Care, a provider of pioneering medical management software, is building a leadership team to support its ever-expanding customer base in world class form.
Click4Care continues to experience phenomenal growth — 2007 revenues grew 238% from the previous year’s revenues, and similar growth has continued in 2008. Looking forward, the company expects unprecedented revenue gains in 2009 and beyond after it releases its next major medical management software version (code named Galapagos) later in 2009.
Accordingly, the company has hired more than 30 new employees in 2008, continues to seek candidates for remaining openings, and has solidified its leadership team by hiring Rose Higgins as President of Sales & Product Development, Keith Dayton as President of Operations, and Kass Mahdi as Senior Vice President of Implementation.
“The combined experience and expertise of Dave Blauer, Click4Care’s CEO; Rose Higgins; Keith Dayton; Kass Mahdi; and Jeremy King as CTO; provide Click4Care with unmatched leadership in the medical management IT space, and will support fast-evolving, unequalled technical solutions in and beyond medical management to Click4Care customers, as well as first rate pre- and post-implementation support,” said Albert Waxman, PhD, Click4Care’s chairman and founder of the Psilos Group investment firm.
“I am privileged to welcome such an extraordinary management team. They are the best in our industry in terms of their creativity, healthcare and IT expertise, proven track record building world class technology and customer support solutions, and demonstrated ability to drive extraordinary financial results for all stakeholders,” Blauer said.
A recognized leader in healthcare delivery and medical management, Rose Higgins brings extensive expertise to Click4Care. Her more than 25-year career path includes executive sales, marketing, and product development responsibility with leading global healthcare technology companies. Higgins has designed and delivered programs focused on ensuring quality of care and cost-effectiveness across a variety of clinical settings.
Prior to joining Click4Care, Higgins served as President of iMetrikus, the market leading provider of remote monitoring and interactive health management tools. During her tenure at iMetrikus, she designed and marketed award-winning hardware and software products. Prior to iMetrikus, Higgins was Director of Product and Information Management with Pyxis, a Cardinal health company. She is a graduate of Duquesne University School of Nursing and Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz School.
Keith Dayton brings 20 years of results-oriented operations management to Click4Care. His healthcare technology and international logistics expertise extends across a wide range of business operations, including care management, leveraging technology, account management, implementations, health care delivery, business process improvement, strategic and tactical planning, financial control, sales and marketing, and organizational dynamics.
With a degree in Marketing and Management from Southern Connecticut State University and post graduate work in Advanced Executive Management at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, Dayton’s prior positions include Executive VP and Board Member for Comprehensive NeuroScience; Executive Vice President of Operations for ActiveHealth Management, where he was employee number 11; Managing Director for American Airlines in international logistics; and GM of the largest global division of GeoLogistics.
Kass Mahdi has 19 years’ experience in business systems analysis, strategic planning, and business process reengineering. He has a successful track record crafting strategy that leverages technology to support business goals, as well as global operations experience.
Mahdi graduated from The Ohio State University with an Industrial and Systems Engineering degree and MBA. Past clients include L’Oreal Cosmetics USA, the NFL, Johns Hopkins Medical Center, and Campbell Soup Company.
About Click4Care
Click4Care provides innovative medical management software that dramatically improves healthcare for payers, providers, and patients. Its award-winning ThinkHealth product suite drives enterprise-wide changes in the processes and business models of healthcare delivery, enabling providers to reduce costs and improve quality of care for patients. Some of the world’s most progressive health insurance providers rely on ThinkHealth for a more consumer-driven approach to medical management. Today, millions benefit from ThinkHealth’s best-of-breed technology and medical management content. For more information, visit .
Click4Care

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NEW YORK, July 18 /PRNewswire/ — The Reality Coalition — a group of experts on overweight and obesity — today issued a call to action for the media to reevaluate the way they report on weight loss. This action comes as the result of the continued news coverage and editorial content that leads consumers to believe that they are only successful dieters if they lose an enormous amount of weight, and that there is no real benefit in losing a small amount of weight.
“There is a tremendous health benefit in modest, gradual weight loss. Incorporating healthy eating including low-fat, low calorie meals, exercising, behavior modification and using science-based products when needed, is the best way to lose weight,” said Reality Coalition co-chair George L. Blackburn, MD, Ph.D. “And any amount of weight loss is good. It is important for these messages to be delivered to the public on a consistent basis through a variety of media channels, including print, broadcast and online outlets.”
In a recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine various dieting approaches were evaluated and findings indicate that no matter the type of diet a person is on, low-fat, low carbohydrate, or a Mediterranean diet, any amount of weight loss is beneficial to the patient’s health.
The Reality Coalition is asking the media to join them in their efforts to make this country healthier, starting with a realistic approach to weight loss.
Recently, a nationally syndicated news service implied that a diet may not be worth it if the dieter is only going to lose five to 10 pounds. “In this and many other news stories I read, the key takeaway always seems to be the same — that if a person does not lose extraordinary amounts of weight on a diet or other weight loss regimens, something is wrong,” said Reality Coalition co-chair MRC Greenwood, Ph.D. “This perpetuates the unrealistic approach to weight loss that sets consumers up for failure time and time again.”
The Reality Coalition published a paper on overweight and obesity called “Help Not Hype: Getting Real About Weight Loss,” in the February 2007 issue of Obesity Management. In the paper, the Coalition identifies the media as having an important role in the fight against obesity. The media have the ability to positively shape consumer’s perceptions of maintaining a healthy weight by ensuring thoughtful, scientifically grounded editorial content. Conversely, the media can be harmful when they present inaccurate or misleading editorial messages.
Improving physical appearance may motivate some people to lose weight, and it should be noted that being overweight or obese has a much greater impact on physical health. It is estimated that 112,000 more deaths were associated with obesity relative to normal weight in the year 2000. If the overweight/obesity trend is not reversed, the gains in life expectancy and quality of life resulting from medical advances will erode, and increasing health costs will burden the U.S. healthcare system.
For more information, log on to .

About Overweight and Obesity

Currently, approximately 65 percent of U.S. adults are overweight or obese, according to the National Institutes of Health. Research suggests that overweight individuals appear to be on the pathway to obesity. Overweight and obesity are associated with an increased risk of developing health problems such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Factors that can contribute to overweight include an abundance of high-calorie foods, low levels of physical activity, behavior, environment, and genetics. Multiple studies have shown that a modest reduction in weight improves health outcomes significantly in overweight or obese patients.
About the Reality Coalition
The Reality Coalition is a group of esteemed experts on obesity, nutrition, diabetes and healthcare policy who share the common goal of advancing an agenda for realistic approaches to weight loss to achieve improved public health.
The Reality Initiative was launched in 2006 and is supported by an educational grant from GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare. The Coalition developed a white paper entitled “Help Not Hype: Getting Real About Weight Loss” (published in Obesity Management, February 2007), which was introduced in partnership with the Federal Trade Commission at NAASO, The Obesity Society annual meeting in October 2006. Committed to changing the national weight loss dialogue and broadening its sponsorship base, the Coalition is expanding its efforts in 2008 to invite business leaders, private, public, professional and non-profit groups to partner in our work.
Reality Coalition Members include co-chairs Louis J. Aronne, MD, Dr. George L. Blackburn, MD, Ph.D., and MRC Greenwood, Ph.D.; Arthur Frank, MD, Obesity Specialist; Gary Foster, Ph.D., Behavioral Psychologist; Barbara Moore, Ph.D., Nutritionist; Judith Stern, Sc.D., Nutritionist; Anne Wolf, MS, RD, Dietitian; Madelyn Fernstrom, Ph.D., CNS, Nutritionist; Johanna Dwyer, Ph.D., Nutritionist; Susan Cummings, RD, Dietitian; Jeremy Nobel, MD, MPH, Public health Expert; Valentine Burroughs, MD, MBA, Diabetes Expert; Morgan Downey, JD, Obesity Specialist, Shaping America’s Health; NAASO, the Obesity Society, National Consumers League, America On the Move, American Dietetic Association and the American Pharmacists Association.
Contact: Dave Schemelia
HealthSTAR Public Relations
Ph. 646-722-8819

The Reality Coalition

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SPOKANE, Wash., July 17 /PRNewswire/ — Connecting physicians and patients through wired and wireless networks earned 18 hospitals the distinction of being among the most technologically advanced hospitals in the country, according to Hospitals and health Networks magazine. Hospitals and health Networks surveyed more than 1,327 hospitals to name the “100 Most Wired” hospitals in the 2008 Most Wired Survey and Benchmarking Study.
Three hospitals received separate Most Wired recognition including Kootenai Medical Center in Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho for Most Wired and Most Wireless, Mason General Hospital in Shelton, Washington for Most Wired — Small and Rural, and Sacred Heart Medical Center in Spokane, Washington for Most Wired. The additional 15 hospitals were grouped into regions under Inland Northwest health Services for purposes of the 2008 Most Wired recognition.
Most Wired hospitals are connected by Inland Northwest health Services (INHS). INHS connects 38 hospitals through a health information technology network, which allows physicians and healthcare staff to securely access patient information utilizing wired and wireless technology. The INHS health information technology network includes more than 4,000 physicians, 450 clinics and physician offices and 2.8 million electronic medical records.
“INHS continues to transform regional health care systems through the creative application of information technology and the strategic use of shared services,” said Tom Fritz, Chief Executive Officer of Inland Northwest health Services. “Our success is due to hospitals and physicians’ willingness to adopt and embrace health information technology. Those hospitals and staff are now being recognized for their continuing efforts in adopting these applications and technology.”
Information is stored in an integrated database managed by INHS. It currently stores more than 2.8 million patient records and includes all data associated with hospital inpatient and emergency room visits including physician orders, medication information, laboratory data, and radiological images. Physicians can access patient information from any location at any time, allowing more time to spend with patients, and less time filling out paperwork.
Inland Northwest health Services, non-profit corporation sponsored by Deaconess Medical Center, Holy Family Hospital, Sacred Heart Medical Center and Valley Hospital and Medical Center in Spokane, Washington for providing collaboration in health care services. INHS companies and services include Information Resource Management, St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Institute, Northwest MedStar, Northwest TeleHealth, and additional services. For more information, visit .
Inland Northwest health Services

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MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. and MISSOULA, Mont., July 17
/PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Omnicell, Inc. a leading provider of system solutions to acute healthcare facilities, and St. Patrick Hospital and health Sciences Center, a 237 bed facility in Missoula, Montana, today announced the successful installation of an interface between the hospital’s Omnicell OptiFlex(TM) CL system and its Philips Series IV physiomonitoring and information system.
“The OptiFlex CL system automates our supply reorder process, giving us greater control and accuracy in ordering to ensure that supplies are always on hand,” said Steve Hartigan, lead cath lab technician at St. Patrick Hospital and health Sciences Center. “In addition, we benefit from a reduction in manual work that frees our staff to spend more time on patient-specific care.”
St. Patrick Hospital and health Sciences Center has been using the OptiFlex CL system in its cardiac cath labs to facilitate real-time automated supply point-of-use data collection. The powerful OptiFlex CL software seamlessly interfaces with the Philips cath lab monitoring and charting software, further reducing the need for manual key entries and automatically populating its American College of Cardiology database with accurate supply information. The complete integrated system made possible by OptiFlex CL software allows cath lab management staff to evaluate the overall performance of the hospital on cardiac cath lab cases by tracking supplies and procedures to a physician for cost management and automated charge capture.
“Tracking supplies in hospital specialty areas like the cath lab at St. Patrick is increasingly tied to patient safety and clinical processes,” said Robert Mullenger, group product line manager, Omnicell. “A cath lab manager benefits from the OptiFlex system because it provides one solution to track all supplies accurately, including implants; and provides interfaces to hospital systems that they depend on.”
For more information please visit the Omnicell booth #1309 at the AHRMM08 annual conference and exhibition at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, July 20-23, or visit .
About Omnicell
Omnicell, Inc. is a leading provider of systems targeting patient safety and operational efficiency in healthcare facilities. Since 1992, Omnicell has worked to enhance patient safety and allow clinicians to spend more time with their patients.
Omnicell’s medication-use product line includes solutions for the central pharmacy, nursing unit, operating room, and patient bedside. Solutions range from complete automation systems for the central pharmacy to nursing unit and bedside dispensing cabinet systems. From the point at which a medication arrives at the receiving dock to the time it is administered, Omnicell systems store it, package it, bar code it, order it, issue it, and provide information and controls on its use and reorder.
Our supply product lines provide a healthcare institution with tools to obtain faster, more effective control of costs, capture of charges for payer reimbursement, and timely reordering of supplies. Products range from high-security closed-cabinet systems and software to open-shelf and combination solutions in the nursing unit, cath lab and operating room. For more information, visit .
About St. Patrick Hospital and health Sciences Center
St. Patrick Hospital and health Sciences Center is a medical center under the sponsorship of Providence health & Services. A not-for-profit health system committed to providing a comprehensive array of services to meet the needs of communities across five states, including Alaska, Washington, Montana, Oregon and California.
Providence health & Services includes 26 hospitals, more than 35 non-acute facilities, physician clinics, a health plan, a liberal arts university, a high school, approximately 45,000 employees and numerous other health, housing and educational services. The system office is located in Seattle, Washington.
Providence health & Services in Alaska, Washington, Montana and Oregon are sponsored by the Sisters of Providence religious community.
St. Patrick Hospital is a 237 licensed hospital bed facility in Missoula, Montana with a 17 county service area. St. Patrick Hospital is recognized for excellence in patient care in such areas as cancer, heart, neuroscience, orthopedics, women’s health and rehabilitation services.
Omnicell, Inc.

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