CHICAGO, July 28, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Merge Healthcare Incorporated (Nasdaq:MRGE), a leading provider of innovative enterprise imaging, interoperability and clinical systems that seek to advance healthcare, today announced Comanche County Memorial Hospital, a non-profit, acute care facility and the largest hospital in western Oklahoma, has selected Merge's vendor-neutral archive (VNA) and image viewing and sharing solutions for improved disaster recovery and operational workflow. The partnership will also enable a seamless flow of data to meet Meaningful Use 2 (MU2) requirements for the exchange of images, support health information exchange (HIE), as well as enhance the patient experience.
"We previously utilized stand-alone PACS with limited archiving capabilities and minimal disaster recovery assurance, which was of major concern with our location in tornado alley," said James Wellman, Senior Director of Information Technology at Comanche County Memorial Hospital. "By implementing a VNA with a secondary image back-up system, we've secured our disaster recovery efforts and created a unified approach for various departments, including radiology and cardiology. We value Merge not only as a partner for our immediate needs, but we trust they will continue to provide ongoing innovative solutions for our unique environment at a cost-effective price."
While initially looking for a solution to better manage image archiving, Comanche County was presented with the opportunity to implement a broader enterprise-wide imaging strategy. Merge's image access and sharing solutions will build a foundation for the future of interoperability, enable HIE and enhance referral networks at a reduced cost. Ultimately, Comanche County chose Merge to support their goals and will implement the following interoperability solutions for enterprise imaging and the consolidation of their imaging infrastructure, including:
- iConnect® Enterprise Archive, Merge's VNA, will enable providers to access current and historical critical patient information for enhanced patient care and improve disaster recovery capacity.
- iConnect® Access, a platform that combines universal viewing and image sharing into a single enterprise solution, will transport and view critical patient data from any browser-based device.
"Merge is honored to work with Comanche County in support of their strong enterprise-wide imaging strategy that is focused on disaster recovery for their community," said Justin Dearborn, CEO at Merge Healthcare. "Comanche County is a prime example of a forward-thinking organization capitalizing on their unique needs to achieve interoperability for enhanced referrals, reduced costs and better patient care."
About Comanche County Memorial Hospital
Comanche County Memorial is an independent, non-profit, acute care facility located in Lawton, Oklahoma. The largest hospital in Western Oklahoma with nearly 2,000 employees and 283 beds, Comanche County Memorial Hospital is governed by a board of trustees comprised of five community leaders appointed by Comanche County Commissioners. Comanche County Memorial's mission is to provide safe, compassionate and innovative healthcare which exceeds expectations, visit www.ccmhonline.com.
About Merge
Merge is a leading provider of innovative enterprise imaging, interoperability and clinical systems that seek to advance healthcare. Merge's enterprise and cloud-based technologies for image intensive specialties provide access to any image, anywhere, any time. Merge also provides clinical trials software with end-to-end study support in a single platform and other intelligent health data and analytics solutions. With solutions that have been used by providers for more than 25 years, Merge is helping to reduce costs, improve efficiencies and enhance the quality of healthcare worldwide. For more information, visit merge.com and follow us @MergeHealthcare.
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