The Choice of Leading Nationwide Health Information Network Contractors
and Health Information Exchanges Connects Physicians to the Nation's Largest
Provider Network
Visit MedPlus at HIMSS Booth 2362 in Chicago, April 5-9
CINCINNATI, April 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- MedPlus, the healthcare
information technology subsidiary of Quest Diagnostics Incorporated (NYSE:
DGX), today introduced a suite of clinical portal and data exchange services
for hospitals and health information exchanges that paves a new, faster path
to health information technology (HIT) benefits. Built on the foundation of
industry-leading technologies, the suite enables physicians to connect to the
nation's largest healthcare provider network and collect, manage and share
relevant patient information at the point of care.
Newly named Centergy(TM), the suite integrates and enhances the data
aggregation and exchange technologies of the acquired FirstGateways HIT
solutions and MedPlus' own proven data exchange, document capture and
physician office technologies. It enables hospitals, integrated delivery
networks (IDNs), health systems and health information exchanges (HIEs) to
share data seamlessly across platforms, enabling unparalleled efficiencies and
improved quality of care. MedPlus will demonstrate the technology at the
Health Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) conference in Chicago,
April 5th - 9th at Booth 2362.
Centergy is currently used by Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN)
contractors in California, New Mexico and New York, as well as by some of
North America's largest health information exchanges (HIEs), including those
in Ohio, New York and British Columbia. Regional Health Information
Organizations (RHIOs) and hospitals can adopt the Centergy suite without
complex IT implementation or wholesale restructure of business operations.
Through Centergy, their physicians access a national network that includes
more than 85 electronic medical record (EMR) vendors as well as more than
140,000 networked physicians using Quest Diagnostics' Care360(TM) connectivity
services.
"Everyone talks interoperability but it is difficult to achieve," said
Gilad J. Kuperman, M.D., Ph.D., Chairman of the Board of The New York Clinical
Information Exchange (NYCLIX), Inc., which was an early user of MedPlus
technology that became part of the Centergy suite. "In an era when
implementation of an HIE is still considered a major accomplishment, thanks to
MedPlus, NYCLIX has already demonstrated inter-HIE data exchange according to
national standards. We have realized the benefits of digital information
without the longtime horizon of other massive, integrated systems." NYCLIX is
among the largest HIE's in the nation, with 8 of its 12 member hospitals
operating in Manhattan, including Beth Israel Medical Center, Memorial Sloan
Kettering Hospital, Mount Sinai Medical Center, and New York Presbyterian
Hospital.
Authorized users of the Centergy services can easily share, access and
manage at the point of care, relevant HIPAA-compliant clinical information,
such as patient demographics, medication lists, allergies, advance directives,
information on physicians treating the patient, and medical problem lists. The
Care360 Physician Portal integrates seamlessly with the Centergy suite and
supports clinical transactions for the physician office, such as lab ordering
and resulting, ePrescribing and peer-to-peer messaging. Centergy addresses the
reality that nearly 90 percent of healthcare data are still recorded on paper.
It integrates seamlessly with MedPlus' ChartMaxx(R) 2008 Best in KLAS(1)
Document Management and Imaging (DMI) solution, which facilitates the entry
and availability of electronic patient information without requiring a
disruptive full-scale conversion to a paperless system.
The Centergy Clinical Portal and Data Exchange Services are available
under a variety of licensing and subscription models. They integrate with the
Centergy Patient Portal, through which patients can manage their personal
health records using a simple, familiar Web-based interface that enables them
to share this information with select healthcare providers.
The importance of HIT interoperability and the challenges to adoption that
healthcare providers face has gained heightened national attention in recent
months, particularly in healthcare reform and economic recovery discussions.
According to Richard Mahoney, MedPlus President and Quest Diagnostics Vice
President, Health Information Solutions, "We see Centergy as a 'game-changer'
for hospitals previously deterred by cost, IT, and workflow disruption
barriers, and just the first of what we expect to be many MedPlus innovations
designed to reduce barriers to HIT adoption. At Quest Diagnostics, we are
committed to continuing to lead the industry in the strategic development and
deployment of technologies that facilitate interoperability, drive meaningful
adoption, and enhance the care that healthcare providers deliver to their
patients."
For more information on MedPlus and its industry-leading HIT solutions,
visit www.MedPlus.com, call 800.444.6235, email info@medplus.com, or visit
MedPlus Booth 2362 at the Health Information Management Systems Society
(HIMSS) conference in ChicagoApril 5th - 9th.
About MedPlus(R)
MedPlus, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, is the healthcare information
technology subsidiary of Quest Diagnostics(R). MedPlus is a leading developer
and integrator of clinical connectivity and healthcare information exchange
solutions that foster better patient care and improve business performance for
healthcare institutions, physicians and patients. The company's Centergy
Clinical Portal & Data Exchange Engine and ChartMaxx(R) solutions efficiently
and securely collect, store, manage and integrate clinical information within
an organization, enterprise, practice or community. Centergy enables
clinicians to access patient data in a centralized view aggregated from
multiple care sites. ChartMaxx, the award-winning electronic patient record
system, has been implemented in more than 120 hospitals and integrated
healthcare delivery networks and has more than 300,000 users. For more
information, visit www.medplus.com.
About Quest Diagnostics
Quest Diagnostics is the world's leading provider of diagnostic testing,
information and services that patients and doctors need to make better
healthcare decisions. The company offers the broadest access to diagnostic
testing services through its network of laboratories and patient service
centers, and provides interpretive consultation through its extensive medical
and scientific staff. Quest Diagnostics is a pioneer in developing innovative
diagnostic tests and advanced healthcare information technology solutions that
help improve patient care. Additional company information is available at
www.questdiagnostics.com.
(1) 2008 Top 20 Best in KLAS Awards: Software &
Professional Services report. (C) 2008 KLAS Enterprises, LLC. All rights
reserved. www.KLASresearch.com.
SOURCE Quest Diagnostics Incorporated
CONTACT: Barb Short (Media): +1-973-520-2800, or Laure Park (Investors):
+1-973-520-2900
Web Site: http://www.questdiagnostics.com
http://www.medplus.com
(DGX DGX)