Cascade Healthcare Community launches first phase of HealthSync initiative to coordinate health care information throughout region

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 2, 2008

Bend, Ore. – On June 1, Cascade Healthcare Community launched the first phase of HealthSync, a multi-million dollar initiative to streamline the collection and sharing of health care information throughout the organization and the region. The goal of HealthSync is to make CHC’s information systems more efficient, to improve the patient experience and patient care.

“This initiative has been in the works for quite some time and we are very excited that the first phase is officially up and running,” said James A. Diegel, FACHE, president and CEO of CHC. “HealthSync will really change the way all of our systems communicate and, ultimately, will make care safer and more convenient for our patients.”

In the first phase of HealthSync, CHC has transitioned to new computer software systems for its patient registration, financial services, operating room supply chain, blood bank, materials management and more. Over the next six months, the organization will continue working to build the clinical piece of the initiative, including a new electronic medical record through the McKesson suite of software products, which is scheduled to go live on Oct. 21.

Through HealthSync, the computer systems at all CHC facilities, including St. Charles Bend, St. Charles Redmond, Pioneer Memorial Hospital in Prineville and Mountain View Hospital in Madras, which CHC is affiliated with through a management agreement, will be able to share data seamlessly. Patient information will be kept confidential and secure, but will also be available to medical providers when needed.

“I am looking forward to working in the new HealthSync programs,” said Kim Grant, manager of the admitting department at Pioneer Memorial Hospital, which is leased and operated by CHC. “It is more powerful than the system we have been working with and it is easier to navigate. It eliminates the need for duplications in data entry.”

CHC anticipates the transition to the new HealthSync system will go smoothly this week and that patients will be unaware of the changes taking place behind the scenes. Diegel thanked the many CHC caregivers who have spent countless hours developing and implementing the new HealthSync systems.

“Thanks to the hard work by many members of CHC’s staff, Central Oregon’s health care system is now truly regional in focus and connectivity,” Diegel said. “Now that the first phase of HealthSync is a reality, we look forward to implementing additional aspects of the project in the coming months.”

About Cascade Healthcare Community
Cascade Healthcare Community, Inc. (CHC), headquartered in Bend, Oregon, owns and operates the St. Charles medical centers in Bend and Redmond, leases and operates Pioneer Memorial Hospital in Prineville and provides management services for Mountain View Hospital (MVH) in Madras.  CHC is a private, not-for-profit Oregon corporation and is the largest employer in Central Oregon with nearly 3,000 caregivers in Bend, Redmond and Prineville. In addition, there are more than 350 active medical staff members and nearly 200 visiting medical staff members who partner with CHC to provide a wide range of care and service to our communities.

# # #