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NEWS RELEASE:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
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MERGE HEALTHCARE TO EMPHASIZE RETURN ON INVESTMENT (ROI) POTENTIAL OF ITS RIS, PACS AND CLINICAL APPLICATION SOLUTIONS AT RADIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA (RSNA) 2007 MEETING
Milwaukee, WI, November 15, 2007 – MergeHealthcare, (NASDAQ: MRGE; TSX: MRG), a leading medical imaging software and services provider, today announced that at this year’s RSNA conference (November 25 - 30, 2007, Chicago, IL), it will highlight the ability of Merge Healthcare solutions to deliver a positive return on investment (ROI), helping imaging centers cope with emerging economic and budgetary issues. Merge Healthcare’s exhibit is located in McCormick Place, South Building – Hall A, Booth #1122.
"Consideration of upfront capital equipment costs is critical, but with year-to-year budgetary concerns globally, and specifically the impact of the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) in the USA, imaging center officials should understand how rapidly their imaging informatics solutions help them obtain a positive return on investment," said Kenneth Rardin, Merge Healthcare President and CEO. "Our RIS, PACS and clinical application offerings highlight many features that accelerate return on investment through improved productivity, efficiency and clinical versatility."
Fusion RIS/PACS MX™
Introduced as a new level of integrated RIS/PACS earlier this year, Fusion RIS/PACS MX brings a positive ROI for imaging businesses and a workspace specifically optimized to increase radiologist productivity. Fusion RIS/PACS MX facilitates radiologist workflow through a unique integration – not merely an interface – of the RIS and PACS applications to create a single, seamless application. From just one work spot, clinicians are able to access all PACS images and all RIS-based information – such as relevant priors, patient history, referring physician contact information
and scanned documents – to complete case interpretation. Additional tools to optimize workflow include embedded digital dictation and multiple interrupt sessions. Fusion RIS/PACS MX also incorporates a Practice Analysis module that tracks and facilitates analysis of an imaging center’s or network’s day-to-day imaging statistics to help these organizations improve their bottom line.
Fusion PACS MX™
Fusion PACS MX 3.0* is a Works in Progress version of Fusion PACS MX that uses an advanced platform technology to automatically launch the clinical application required to view each study. This capability boosts efficiency by allowing specialty reads, such as mammography, to proceed seamlessly within the clinical workflow. For some businesses, this solution will enable efficient, cost-effective expansion into new clinical disciplines. Fusion PACS MX also provides new features to help increase radiologist efficiency and reading flexibility, including new viewing protocols that allow users to step through different views and the ability to save annotations or measurements to images. In addition, clinicians can further increase efficiency via extended keyboard mapping opportunities.
Fusion RIS MX™
Fusion RIS MX is a proven business workflow solution that Merge and its customers have continuously and collaboratively refined to optimize ROI. For example, Fusion RIS MX 3.30*, a Works in Progress, incorporates the top requests for new features from the recent Merge User Group Meeting. It also offers additional capabilities, such as improved fax service, external order ID tracking workflow and a national provider number. In addition, Fusion RIS MX integrates enterprise-wide licensing and scalable design for customers of all types and sizes, flexible scheduling to maximize workflow and room utilization, and embedded modules, such as document management and digital dictation. Merge Healthcare also will showcase a Works in Progress of a completely embedded billing module, which helps enable fast and accurate reimbursement within the RIS workflow.
Fusion RIS GL™ and Fusion PACS GL™
For many international imaging customers, Merge offers Fusion RIS GL and Fusion PACS GL. Fusion RIS GL is optimized for a wide range of imaging practices in Europe. Including components for patient scheduling, front office activities, resource usage and billing, Fusion RIS GL provides a comprehensive toolset for patient management at imaging centers, small- to medium-sized hospitals and other facilities.
Fusion PACS GLisa customizable PACS solution that enables users to take advantage of the latest visualization tools, such as MIP and MPR. Individual customer preferences also are accommodated. For example, eFilm Workstation™ users can continue to use this solution within the PACS environment. Every Fusion PACS GL solution contains reliable, easily scalable archiving capabilities, and configuration choices are available to optimize each customer’s distribution network, disaster recovery needs and budget.
eFilm Workstation™
eFilm Workstation version 3.0*, debuting as a Works in Progress at RSNA, represents the most significant package of enhancements yet for the world’s most widely downloaded desktop diagnostic imaging software. Addressing key areas of visualization and review, database, workflow and media burning; eFilm Workstation 3.0 offers enhancements in both a Gold version and a Platinum version that are designed to accelerate radiologist productivity. New features include spine labeling, new SQL database, enhanced media burning capabilities and new overlay tools. The Platinum version includes additional features that emphasize user reading preferences, including hanging protocols, key images and roaming profiles. The Platinum version is available as an upgrade for Merge’s current Fusion PACS customers.
Several specialty clinical applications will be demonstrated, including:
Merge Mammo™ is a multi-modality, vendor-neutral mammography workstation application. Merge Mammo 7.1*, a Works in Progress, includes sophisticated support for 10-bit monitor display and 12-bit printing. In addition, this application contains features such as support for 64-bit and Vista OS, more options for customizing viewing and measurement tools and improved viewing protocols. With user-intuitive tools that can help radiologists achieve reading speeds at or surpassing film reading, Merge Mammo can justify customer plans to move to digital mammography.
Merge PET/CT™ is designed to address the clinical challenges of fusion imaging by accommodating standard CT reading methods. Following a PACS image display convention, the PET/CT Workstation provides image layouts that are split across dual monitors in panoramic mode. For efficient study comparison, this review method permits simultaneous comparison of CT images, PET Corrected, PET Uncorrected, PET/CT Fused Images and MIP among others. Rigid registration between images allows simultaneous navigation through all data sets.
Merge Ortho™ is a digital workstation solution that helps orthopedic specialists save time and improve clinical effectiveness in orthopedic planning and diagnosis. Merge Ortho can avoid the cost and complexities of using film by providing advanced digital tools to streamline workflow in addition to cutting edge measurement options, implant selection, automated template placement and manipulation, surgical planning tools, image archiving and Web distribution.
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* This product is a Works in Progress. Merge Healthcare is not legally obligated to develop described “future” software with the features and functionality described.
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.
Cedara Software is a Merge Healthcare company focused on the development of customized software solutions and development tools for the medical imaging OEM market. Cedara’s solutions enable OEM companies to accelerate their time-to-market, reduce development costs and access new streams of revenue. Cedara’s software is deployed in hospitals and clinics worldwide and is licensed by many of the world's leading medical device and healthcare information technology companies. Cedara’s technologies and engineering services span all the major digital imaging modalities and a wide variety of clinical specialties including radiology, orthopaedics, women’s health, oncology, cardiac imaging, clinical trials, imaging for the veterinarian market and more. For additional information, visit our website at www.cedara.com .
All trademarks appearing in this release are the property of Cedara Software Corp. and/or Merge Healthcare.
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Attn: Beth Frost-Johnson
Merge Healthcare
6737 West Washington St.
Suite 2250
Milwaukee, WI 53214
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| 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, the uncertainty created by, the adverse impact on relationships with customers, potential customers, suppliers and investors potentially resulting from, and other risks associated with, the changes in the Company’s senior management; costs, risks and effects of the investigation by the Audit Committee of the Board of Directors; the impact of the 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 inability to timely file reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission; risks associated with the Company's 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 informal, non-public inquiry being conducted by the Securities and Exchange Commission and class action, derivative, and other lawsuits; risks in product and technology development, market acceptance of new products and continuing product demand, the impact of competitive products and pricing, ability to integrate acquisitions, changing economic conditions, credit and payment risks associated with end-user sales, dependence on major customers, dependence on key personnel, 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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