August
24 , 1999
Washington
National Eye Center Implements Internet-Based NextGen Suite of
Products From MicroMed
NextGen
Servers, Database to Be Hosted From MicroMed Office In Horsham
HORSHAM,
Pa. MicroMed Healthcare Information Systems, a division
of Quality Systems Inc. (Nasdaq:QSII - news) and the result of
a recent combination of Clinitec International Inc. and MicroMed
Healthcare Information Systems Inc., Tuesday announced an agreement
with Washington National Eye Center (WNEC) for the implementation
of the company's NextGen� suite of products.
WNEC
will be the first to utilize the NextGen EPM practice management
system and the NextGen EMR electronic medical records system by
accessing NextGen via the Internet through a remote data warehousing
service hosted at MicroMed's facilities in Horsham.
WNEC
provides a variety of continuing medical education, clinical,
surgical and professional services to its 90-plus members, the
ophthalmology profession, and to the Washington, D.C. metropolitan
area. Founded more than 100 years ago, WNEC manages a nationally
recognized, 12-person ophthalmology training program.
WNEC's
program has graduated nearly 200 physicians who practice throughout
the nation. WNEC operates a busy public, nonprofit clinic within
the Washington Hospital Center as its Department of Ophthalmology.
After
a comprehensive analysis of ophthalmology specific and general
EMR systems, WNEC chose the company's NextGen product. "We
had to modernize both our paper medical records system and a DOS-based
practice management system that's long past its prime," said
WNEC's president, Dr. Maxwell Helfgott.
"We
needed a system that not only does the usual scheduling, billing
and encounter functions, but also supports our clinical program's
specific needs.
"Our
residents operate our clinic under attending supervision. For
both legal and professional reasons, we needed a system that allows
residents to make findings in the EMR, and then lets attendings
assess the encounter and generate orders and charges.
"Supervision
was critical, but only a few packages could accommodate supervision
and also provide well-rounded support for our specialty. NextGen
facilitated supervision comfortably while also providing a high
level of ophthalmology support.
"NextGen's
ability to operate off-site via the Internet also figured in our
decision. Remote access, within a secure environment, means we
are freed from building a series of stand-alone servers with their
attendant installation and maintenance costs."
Patrick
Cline, president of MicroMed, commented: "We are pleased
that Washington National Eye Center has chosen our leading-edge
technology and new server-hosting services as part of their information
systems strategy. They have a long tradition of leadership in
their field, and we are excited to work with them as they prepare
for the new challenges of the future.
"Our
new Internet-based service bureau will enable them to make strides
in the manner in which they provide care, with an investment in
computer infrastructure appropriate to their business plan."
MicroMed's
NextGen EMR is an innovative electronic medical records system
designed to improve quality of care, reduce risk, cut costs and
increase revenue. NextGen EMR creates and maintains complete medical
records, streamlines workflow, controls utilization and manages
critical data related to outcomes of patient care.
It
automatically creates documents and letters, generates prescriptions,
stores clinical images, provides patient education and exchanges
data with hospitals, labs and practice management systems.
NextGen
EPM is one of the most feature-rich applications available for
practice management. NextGen EPM helps offices operate more efficiently
through its Master Patient Index (MPI), quick appointment scheduling,
and scanning images of patient insurance and identification cards
to be stored in the patient files.
The
billing and collections module readily handles managed care, capitation
and fee-for-service reimbursements, while editing claims prior
to submission to create "clean" submissions and to shorten
accounts receivable days. The smooth workflow across the various
modules creates improved operational efficiencies for both the
practice and central management offices.
Quality
Systems is one of the leading developers and providers of computer-based
practice management and medical records systems for medical and
dental group practices, with a customer base of approximately
500 clients in 45 states, Canada and Saudi Arabia.
This
news release contains forward-looking statements, including those
related to revenue and net income, that involve a number of risks
and uncertainties. Among the important factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially from those indicated by such
forward-looking statements are volume and timing of systems sales
and installations; length of sales cycles and installation process;
the possibility that the products will not achieve market acceptance;
seasonal patterns of sales and customer buying behavior; the development
by competitors of new or superior technologies; delays in product
development; undetected errors or bugs in software; product liability;
changing economic, political or regulatory influences in the health-care
industry; changes in product-pricing policies; competitive pressures;
possible regulation of the company's software by the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration; general economic conditions; and the
risk factors detailed from time to time in Quality Systems' periodic
reports and registration statements filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission.