CHICAGO, Dec. 16, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Merge Healthcare Incorporated (Nasdaq:MRGE), a leading provider of clinical systems and innovations that seek to transform healthcare, today announced a strategic partnership with athenahealth, Inc. (Nasdaq:ATHN), a leading provider of cloud-based services for electronic health records (EHR), practice management, and care coordination. athenahealth will integrate Merge's iConnect Network with its national cloud-based platform, enabling athenahealth clients to receive and view exam results, diagnostic quality images and other critical patient information within the athenaClinicals® EHR workflow. The partnership will support advanced interoperability between radiologists and providers by decreasing duplicate tests and radiation exposure, improving patient outcomes and increasing physician satisfaction while reducing the cost of care.
"With today's healthcare environment shifting from volume-based to value-based care models, there's an increasing need for the industry as a whole to break down the walls surrounding clinical data to enable care teams to access patient information when they need it," said Doran Robinson, Vice President of Healthcare Transactions, athenahealth. "By integrating iConnect Network within our cloud-based EHR workflow, we'll enhance communications between physicians and radiologists and speed the routing and availability of imaging studies to caregivers. Together with Merge, we believe that information sharing is key to the advancement of care delivery. This is an exciting partnership that leverages the right technologies to make things work as they should in healthcare."
With the new iConnect Network, Merge is now able to deliver reports directly into athenaClinicals®, athenahealth's EHR service, giving athenaClinicals' users real-time access to view important diagnostic information, such as imaging studies and interpretations, within their existing EHR workflow. With Meaningful Use Stage 2 (MU2) imaging requirements, Merge and athenahealth's partnership empowers community physicians to attest and receive incentives quickly and cost effectively.
"Our partnership with athenahealth provides a robust service for advanced interoperability giving providers immediate access to critical patient information across the continuum of care," said Justin Dearborn, CEO, Merge Healthcare. "This collaboration is significant to both the adoption and future growth of iConnect Network. It expands our customers' options, allowing them to leverage the solution to reduce operational bottlenecks, improve physician satisfaction and ultimately enhance the patient experience."
About Merge
Merge is a leading provider of clinical systems and innovations that seek to transform healthcare. Merge's enterprise and cloud-based solutions for image intensive specialties provide access to any image, anywhere, any time. Merge also provides health stations, clinical trials software and other health data and analytics solutions that engage consumers in their personal health. With solutions that are used by providers and consumers and include more than 25 years of innovation, Merge is helping to reduce costs and improve the quality of healthcare worldwide. For more information, visit merge.com.
About athenahealth
athenahealth is a leading provider of cloud-based services for electronic health record (EHR), practice management, and care coordination. athenahealth's mission is to be caregivers' most trusted service, helping them do well doing the right thing. For more information, please visit www.athenahealth.com.
Cautionary Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
The matters discussed in this news release may include forward-looking statements, which could involve a number of risks and uncertainties. When used in this press release, the words "will," "believes," "intends," "anticipates," "expects" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. Except as expressly required by the federal securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update such factors or to publicly announce the results of any of the forward-looking statements.
CONTACT: Merge Healthcare
Jennifer Jawor (Media)
Director, Corporate Marketing
312.565.6825
jennifer.jawor@merge.com
athenahealth, Inc.
Holly Spring (Media)
617-402-1631
hspring@athenahealth.com
athenahealth, Inc.
Dana Quattrochi (Investors)
Director, Investor Relations
617-402-1329
investorrelations@athenahealth.com
