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MERGE ANNOUNCES RELEASE OF MERGE TELEREAD™ APPLICATION TO STREAMLINE TELERADIOLOGY WORKFLOW
Software enables simple “one-click” and even “no-click” teleradiology workflows
Milwaukee, WI, March 5, 2008 – Merge Healthcare (NASDAQ: MRGE; TSX: MRG), a leading medical imaging software and services provider, announced today that its Merge Teleradiology division has introduced Merge TeleRead™, an application that greatly simplifies teleradiology workflow through automation. Merge TeleRead is a software package that integrates seamlessly with Merge’s Fusion RIS/PACS ™ and Fusion RIS/PACS MX™ solutions, and enables radiologists to place studies in a dedicated teleradiology worklist, from which they can be manually or automatically transmitted to an offshore reading center. Tight integration allows not just images to be sent, but also any prior reports, prior image studies, scanned documents and all relevant patient demographics – facilitating detailed interpretation by reading center radiologists.
"This is the key difference between Merge’s teleradiology offerings and others on the market," said Kenneth Rardin, Merge Healthcare CEO. "Integrating the teleradiology application with our RIS/PACS solutions enables our U.S. - based customers to effortlessly link studies for which they want outside telereads with a wealth of extra data that can assist our offshore reading center radiologists in providing our Consult PreReads™."
Once the study is placed in the teleradiology worklist, all that the radiologist needs to perform is a single mouse-click to transmit the study to the reading center. Similarly, when automatic routing is enabled – during night hours for instance – the TeleRead software automatically links the study with prior reports and images and sends the study to the reading center. These one-click and no-click workflows can dramatically simplify teleradiology for busy imaging centers.
"We believe that Merge TeleRead and Consult PreReads can help centers realize greater efficiency and quality in their daily imaging workflow," Rardin added.
Consult PreReads™
Upon the studies’ arrival at Merge’s Reading Center in India, skilled radiologists conduct Consult PreReads™, an intensive activity, involving prescreening, reviewing historical patient information, reviewing prior studies, selection of key images, measurements, annotations, and generation of a detailed report. "The Reading Center in Pune, India, is staffed by expert consultant radiologists with years of experience," said Dr. Mukul Mutatkar, Merge’s India-based Medical Director and Chief Consultant Radiologist. "Each study we receive from the United States is reviewed independently by two radiologists before we transmit the detailed reading and marked key images that comprise the Consult PreRead report.
"The process involves the review of relevant prior studies and patient information," Dr. Mutatkar continued, "while the report is designed to include comprehensive analysis and measurements of all clinical findings, whether these findings are relevant or are purely incidental to the requested review."
The finished Consult PreRead report and key images appear in the designated U.S. - based radiologist’s worklist queue within minutes of the completion of the Consult PreRead in India. The U.S. licensed radiologist at the customer site then performs a complete official final read and issues a signed report to the referring physician.
The Merge TeleRead announcement follows the launch of the Merge Teleradiology division on November 20, 2007. Merge Healthcare established this new division to address its imaging customers’ demands for greater productivity and diagnostic report quality, as well as reduced costs. In addition, on November 25, 2007, Merge reported that Merge Teleradiology had been awarded the Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval™, by demonstrating compliance with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization’s national standard for healthcare quality and safety.
For additional information, visit www.mergeteleradiology.com.
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Merge Healthcare is a market leader in the development and delivery of medical imaging and information management software and services. Our innovative software solutions use leading-edge imaging software technologies that accelerate market delivery for our OEM customers, while our end-user solutions improve our customers' productivity and enhance the quality of patient care they provide. For additional information, visit our website at www.mergehealthcare.com.
All trademarks appearing in this release are the property of Cedara Software Corp. and/or Merge Healthcare.
Except for the historical information herein, the matters discussed in this news release include forward-looking statements that may 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, the forward-looking statements based on a number of factors, including, but not limited to, market acceptance and performance of the Company’s products and services, including the Company’s teleradiology product and services; delay in the offering of the Company’s teleradiology product and services; the Company’s ability to attract and retain qualified radiologist consultants; risks and effects of the past restatement of financial statements of the Company and other actions that may be taken or required as a result of such restatement; the Company’s ability to generate sufficient cash from operations to meet future operating, financing and capital requirements; risks associated with the Company's failing to make timely filings with the SEC or its inability to meet the requirements of The NASDAQ Stock Market for continued listing, including possible delisting; costs, risks and effects of legal proceedings and investigations, including the formal investigation being conducted by the Securities and Exchange Commission and class action and derivative lawsuits; the impact of competitive products and pricing; and other risk factors detailed in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. 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 contained herein to reflect future events, developments, or changed circumstances, or for any other reason.
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Attn: Beth Frost-Johnson
Merge Healthcare
6737 West Washington St.
Suite 2250
Milwaukee, WI 53214
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