CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., Dec. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Tennessee-based Shared Health, Inc., the largest public/private health information exchange (HIE) in the nation, announced today the results of a new study that shows a 17% improvement in efficiencies following implementation of its HIE. The efficiency improvements are the result of the benefits clinicians experience when incorporating the Shared Health solution into their practice workflow.

Shared Health analysts investigated the influence of their system by studying practices where the Shared Health Clinical Health Record(R) (CHR) was frequently accessed to treat patients during 2006. "Shared Health evaluates impact by using episode treatment groups (ETGs), which combine like episodes of care into consistent groupings of similar conditions with equivalent severity," said David Axene of Axene Health Partners, which has assisted Shared Health on similar studies. Axene indicated that "ETG methodology has been validated nationally and is effective in studying comparative care, efficiency, and cost."

Shared Health focused on a group of practices meeting specified criteria of accessing patients in the CHR during 2006, the first full year of Shared Health adoption. In order to achieve a precise control group, analysts compared 2005 (prior to Shared Health adoption) with 2006 for Shared Health patients treated by the same practice for the same conditions in both years. This comparison demonstrated a 17% cost efficiency improvement in 2006 when practitioners used Shared Health's CHR to assist with assessing patients.

These results were further evaluated to establish the areas where efficiencies were achieved. ETG methodology allowed for separate examinations of contributions from ancillary, facility, management, pharmacy, and surgery. The enhanced efficiencies clinicians experienced were in the pharmacy, facility, and ancillary areas.

In assessing the results, Dr. Bruce H. Taffel, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of Shared Health, noted, "Shared Health is a physician-centered solution that enables active care management by empowering the doctor-patient relationship at the point of care. The data show that use of the Shared Health product suite contributes significant value and enhances physician efficiency."

The Shared Health Clinical Health Record (CHR) is a secure, electronic health record that maintains a comprehensive view of a patient's specific medical history. The Shared Health CHR and Shared Health ePrescribe(R) allow multiple clinicians treating the same patient to view that patient's clinical history and prescribe medications via a secure Web portal, enabling more informed clinical decisions at the point of care.

"When clinicians use Shared Health to access patient records and medication histories, we're able to become a clinician's trusted partner," said Jana Skewes, president and CEO of Shared Health. "Our Clinical Health Record works to ensure that a Shared Health patient, whether he or she visits a primary care provider, specialist, or an emergency department, has information securely available to accelerate the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment process. All of which results in a more efficient and effective health care system. We're delivering on the promise of health information technology."

About Shared Health

Shared Health is transforming health care by offering innovative health information technology solutions that improve quality and lower cost. Shared Health's Web-based applications securely share and connect medical information across a patient's network of clinicians. Ultimately, Shared Health will engage consumers by providing them with access to their own health information. For more information on Shared Health, visit the company's Web site at http://www.sharedhealth.com/.

CONTACT: Jim Bureau of Shared Health, +1-678-482-5982

Web Site: http://www.sharedhealth.com/