Automating Anesthesia Emerging as Top Priority For U.S. Hospitals; Medical Errors, Rising Costs and Malpractice are Driving Factors.

ATLANTA -- Surgical Information Systems announced today the signing of Mercy Hospital of Miami, Fla. -- part of the Catholic Healthcare East organization of hospitals -- making it the 14th healthcare organization in the U.S. to select the SIS Anesthesia documentation solution. Automating this process will allow Mercy to create a more accurate, consistent and complete anesthesia record while capturing the information necessary to determine best clinical and financial practices.

The SIS Anesthesia strategy is recognized by hospitals for its superior integration with clinical and financial components of the perioperative continuum. Anesthesia was the first module developed after the company's inception in 1996, and is the only solution available that operates on a single database architecture. As part of a comprehensive O.R. information solution, SIS Anesthesia integrates a patient's anesthesia information with the rest of the surgical case, decreasing repetitive documentation, ensuring data integrity, and standardizing and improving patient care and safety.

Hospitals with strategic initiatives focused on improving patient safety, reducing costs and improving clinical outcomes, recognize that the O.R. presents the most significant opportunity for success. The high volume and high costs associated with most surgery departments and anesthesia practices make information solutions in these areas critical. Any improvements in accuracy and efficiency will prove a catalyst for an organization's ability to maximize the quality of care and profitability of their hospitals.

SIS is currently implementing their Anesthesia solution at Bassett Hospital of Cooperstown, NY, Ochsner Hospital in New Orleans, La., and William Beaumont Hospital in Detroit, Mich. In total, SIS Anesthesia contracts represent more than 300 O.R. suites, and more than a quarter of a million patients throughout the United States. As a reflection of their commitment to this growing market, SIS has developed a cross-functional anesthesia division specifically dedicated to delivering solutions to this complex and high acuity environment. "SIS has the real ability to improve anesthesia practice by providing solutions that make the routine but critical tasks simple," said Mark Jones, SIS Anesthesia Product Manager, "Hospitals want our solution because it fully integrates with all other functions within surgery, which gives them the means to improve patient care while seriously addressing the high costs of care across the perioperative process."

Surgical Information Systems provides the most comprehensive integrated suite of modules focused specifically on the OR to supply clinicians and administrators with ALL the clinical and financial data relative to every surgical case. The system includes modules for case and staff scheduling, materials management, rules-based charging, and clinical documentation for pre-admission testing (PAT) through post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). Other modules include automated surgeon's operative notes, and SIS PACS, which allows secure access to diagnostic images and videos from anywhere via the Internet. The company's StatCom O.R. is a workflow communications tool that tracks the surgery department's most important assets - patients, beds, staff and equipment. Rules & Alerts, the company's newest solution, combines a comprehensive rules engine with a sophisticated messaging system to improve patient safety and manage the perioperative continuum. Together, the system enables healthcare professionals to provide the highest quality care at the lowest possible cost. The Surgical Information Systems product utilizes an open architecture and a Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) Windows- or Unix-based operating system that is tied into an Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) database. Visit the company's Web site at www.ORsoftware.com.