CHICAGO and REDMOND, Wash., Jan. 12, 2005 — Microsoft Healthcare Users Group (MS-HUG) and Microsoft Corp. today announced 28 finalists for the eighth annual MS-HUG awards, which showcase the most innovative solutions and customers of Microsoft®
technology in the healthcare industry. The honors are awarded by MS-HUG, a membership community of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), in recognition of the significant contributions being made by organizations and individuals to improve the quality of patient care.
The awards include recognition for hospitals, clinics, health plans and leading healthcare providers that demonstrate the best use of Microsoft-based products in the patient care arena. Also honored are leading independent software vendors (ISVs) developing solutions on Microsoft technology to address the diverse challenges faced by the healthcare industry. Award contestants in this category are evaluated on the extent to which they provide significant business benefits to healthcare organizations and improve patient care.
“Innovation is critical as we see healthcare technology rising to the forefront of national consciousness. Participants across the healthcare value chain agree that we need new and improved ways to increase the quality of patient care and the satisfaction of those providing care and contain costs through initiatives that drive productivity, safety and efficiency,” said Steve Shihadeh, general manager of Healthcare and Life Sciences at Microsoft. “The MS-HUG annual awards program gives Microsoft the opportunity to recognize the efforts of organizations and individuals who are significantly contributing to the transformation of the healthcare system in a positive way.”
“By honoring these individuals and organizations each year, we demonstrate how technology can be leveraged to improve the overall quality and effectiveness of patient care — something that is top of mind for all of us,” said Drexel DeFord, chairman of the MS-HUG Advisory Committee. “The individuals and healthcare organizations participating in the MS-HUG awards program are leading the way for dramatic change in the healthcare industry.”
Recognized as leaders in the healthcare industry by Microsoft and MS-HUG, the ISV finalists will demonstrate their solutions in the Microsoft booth at the HIMSS 2005 Conference & Exhibition, Feb. 14–17, in Dallas. Winners will be announced in the theater at Microsoft booth No. 3035 at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 15. In addition, the ISV and customer winners will be highlighted on the HIMSS and MS-HUG Web sites: http://www.himss.org and http://www.mshug.org/awards .
The 2005 category finalists for the MS-HUG annual awards are as follows:
Microsoft Customer Awards Finalists
Microsoft Clinic of the Year
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Affinity Health Group, Tifton, Ga.
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Center for Assisted Reproduction, Bedford, Texas
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Ogden Clinic, Ogden, Utah
Microsoft Health Plan of the Year
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Highmark Inc., Pittsburgh
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Partnership HealthPlan of California, Fairfield, Calif.
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Premera Blue Cross, Mountlake Terrace, Wash.
Microsoft Hospital of the Year
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Alamance Regional Medical Center, Burlington, N.C.
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Norton Healthcare, Louisville, Ky.
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Truman Medical Centers Inc., Kansas City, Mo.
Microsoft Nurse of the Year
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Monica Andrews, RN, Center for Assisted Reproduction, Bedford, Texas
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Mindy Jones, Affinity Health Group, Tifton, Ga.
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Lori Reynolds, BSN, Fairview Health Services, Minneapolis
Microsoft Physician of the Year
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Kevin J. Doody, M.D., Center for Assisted Reproduction, Bedford, Texas
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Craig F. Feied, M.D., FACEP, FAAEM; National Institute for Medical Informatics and MedStar Health, Washington
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E. Monty Stirman, M.D., Holston Medical Group, Kingsport, Tenn.
Healthcare ISV Finalists
Administrative/Financial Systems
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Allscripts, IMPACT.MD
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API Software Inc., Payrollmation Series Time and Attendance System
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NextGen Healthcare Information Systems Inc., NextGen EPM
Acute Care: Clinical/Patient Information Systems
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dbMotion Ltd., The dbMotion System
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Picis Inc., CareSuite
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Stentor Inc., iSite Enterprise Picture Archiving Communication Systems
Ambulatory Care: Clinical/Patient Information Systems
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Allscripts, Touchworks
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iMedica Corp., iMedica PhysicianSuite
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MedInformatix Inc., MedInformatix
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NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, NextGen EMR
Enabling Technologies
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Galvanon Inc., MediKiosk CVM Enterprise Server
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Gold Standard, eMPOWERx
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Midmark Diagnostics Group, IQmark Digital ECG PDA
An independent panel of judges, including leaders in the healthcare industry and domain experts, selected this year’s finalists.
Full details are available on the MS-HUG Web site at http://www.mshug.org/awards . More information about the awards is available by contacting Monika Skibeness at [email protected] or (425) 316-3079.
About MS-HUG
Microsoft Healthcare Users Group is a membership community within the HIMSS Users Group Alliance Program, providing technology leadership and knowledge for improving healthcare delivery and efficiency. The alliance provides HIMSS with targeted industry expertise to help broaden its professional and industry contributions, and MS-HUG members with the opportunity to reach new markets with educational and professional development programs.
MS-HUG is the leading healthcare industry forum for exchanging ideas, promoting learning and sharing solutions for information systems using Microsoft technologies. MS-HUG works to provide industry leadership, drive appropriate standards and develop associated requirements in support of healthcare solutions. The diverse membership of MS-HUG is united by a shared interest in implementing vendor- and user-developed software based on Microsoft technology to improve quality and efficiency in healthcare. More information can be found on MS-HUG’s Web site at http://www.mshug.org .
About HIMSS
HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) is the healthcare industry’s membership organization exclusively focused on providing leadership for the optimal use of healthcare information technology and management systems for the betterment of human health. Founded in 1961 with offices in Chicago, Washington D.C., and other locations across the country, HIMSS represents more than 14,000 individual members and some 220 member corporations that employ more than 1 million people. HIMSS frames and leads healthcare public policy and industry practices through its advocacy, educational and professional development initiatives to promote information and management systems’ contributions to ensuring quality patient care. Visit www.himss.org for more information.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
Microsoft is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
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