Press Releases

Picis ED PulseCheck Achieves CCHIT Certification for  Emergency Department EHR Criteria

Leading EDIS solution is among the first systems with “full product” certification

WAKEFIELD, Mass. — May 19, 2008 — Picis announced today that ED PulseCheck® version 4.0, part of the CareSuite® family of high-acuity solutions, is now a Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT®) Certified® 08 Emergency Department Electronic Health Record (EHR). This product certification provides an objective set of criteria for measuring health information technology (HIT) products, enabling many buyers to narrow their focus on emergency department information systems (EDIS) worthy of selection, as well as those eligible for EHR stimulus money under the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). CCHIT product certification designates that a HIT product has been tested for functionality, interoperability and security and has passed inspection of 100 percent of the criteria. In recent tests, Picis ED PulseCheck version 4.0 met all of nearly 200 rigorous requirements for functionality, interoperability and security for CCHIT certification.

Picis is among a small group of vendors that offer solutions fully certified by CCHIT in the ED EHR category. As the market leader in EDIS, Picis has a long, focused history in successfully automating ED documentation while sharing information with every major hospital information system (HIS) in the industry. Picis ED solutions automate more than 28 million patient visits annually in more than 700 hospitals throughout North America. By providing an integrated and comprehensive EHR for the ED, Picis provides healthcare providers with a wealth of information to assist clinicians in making decisions and aid hospitals in improving operations, reducing costs, increasing efficiency and providing better care — all goals of the ARRA stimulus package. Integrated seamlessly with Picis LYNX E/Point® point-of-care revenue capture system, hospitals can be more confident in charging and billing accurately and completely for the ED services they provide.

“By implementing Picis ED PulseCheck we were able to increase the volume of patients that we are seeing, decrease the length of stay by 50 percent, increase our patient satisfaction, and turn a chaotic environment into a relatively quiet area where people feel comfortable and safe. This information technology solution was the key tool that allowed us to really change our processes and — in the same physical little box —  do a much, much better job,” says Douglas Rose, M.D., emergency department medical director, Stormont-Vail Healthcare.

“The Department of Health and Human Services is in the process of defining a ‘qualified EMR’ eligible for stimulus money through ‘meaningful use.’ We see this certification as further validation that our systems meet and exceed the criteria that hospitals need now and will need in the future to obtain the full amount of stimulus funds available to them,” said Todd C. Cozzens, chief executive officer and vice-chairman of Picis. “ED PulseCheck v. 4.0 is proven successful in this high-impact area of the hospital, which can account for up to 70% of hospital admissions. By implementing Picis’ time tested, focused information systems, hospitals can satisfy their need for quick action with desirable results in quality, data sharing and security.”

ED PulseCheck is the most comprehensive and well-integrated EDIS in the industry. Together with Picis LYNX revenue management solutions, Picis offers the most complete clinical and financial solutions for the ED, helping hospitals increase throughput, revenue, patient satisfaction and clinical quality. The formal public announcement of Picis ED PulseCheck version 4.0 becoming a CCHIT Certified 08 Emergency Department EHR product can be found at http://www.cchit.org/choose/emergency/08/index.asp.

As part of Picis’ commitment to promoting excellence in emergency care, the company recently sponsored a national benchmarking study called, “Profiling Success: Managing Emergency Services in the Largest Health Systems” conducted by the Health Management Academy. This study not only identified the challenges hospitals face in the ED, but also revealed best practices for managing and improving ED services. For more information, visit http://www.picis.com/HMA.

About Picis   
Picis is a global provider of innovative information solutions that enable rapid and sustained delivery of clinical, financial and operational results in the acute care areas of the hospital. These high-acuity areas include the emergency department, operating and recovery rooms, and intensive care units. Picis offers the most advanced suite of integrated products focused on these life-critical areas of the hospital where the patients are the most vulnerable, the care process is the most complex and an increasing majority of hospital costs and potential revenue are concentrated. Headquartered in Wakefield, Massachusetts, Picis has licensed systems for use in more than 1,700 hospitals in 19 countries. More information is available at  www.picis.com. 

© 2009 Picis, Inc. All rights reserved. Picis, CareSuite, E/Point and ED PulseCheck may be a trademark or registered trademark of Picis, Inc. in the United States and/or other countries. All other trademarks mentioned herein are the properties of their respective owners. This press release contains express or implied forward-looking statements relating to, among other things, Picis’ expectations concerning the functionality and market acceptance of its products, and management’s plans, objectives and strategies. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond Picis’ control, which could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in these forward-looking statements.