Dublin Methodist Hospital Opens as All-Digital Facility with McKesson Healthcare IT Systems

Patient safety and caregiver support get boost from Horizon Clinicals electronic health records

ATLANTA--(Business Wire)--McKesson, the world's largest healthcare services, automation and
information technology company, announced that Dublin Methodist
Hospital, part of OhioHealth, is opening today as one of the nation's
few all-digital, full-service community hospitals. McKesson worked
with the brand new 94-bed facility as it was being constructed to
implement a full electronic health records (EHR) system using the
Horizon Clinicals(R) suite, which supports more than 2 million
clinicians nationwide.

  "As we open for patient care, we truly know what it means to have
McKesson 'in the room' with our caregivers," said Cheryl Herbert,
R.N., president of Dublin Methodist Hospital. "We designed information
technology into the building as an essential component of care and
committed early on to 100 percent system adoption by physicians,
nurses and the rest of the care team. This is in keeping with our
partnership in the Pebble Project, a national group of healthcare
organizations focused on following best practices in design that have
proven to enhance not only quality of care, the patient experience and
financial performance, but ultimately patient outcomes. We see
healthcare IT as a key enabler in helping us achieve these
objectives."

  McKesson incorporated its technology within the framework of the
"high-tech, high-touch" approach to healthcare that Dublin Methodist
Hospital is bringing to its patients. Doctors, nurses and other
medical staff will have easy online access to patient information when
and where it is needed at the point of care. A computerized physician
order entry system supports doctors as they make decisions and place
patient orders. Caregivers can chart patient care at the bedside and
check to see what was done on the previous shift. Using bar-code
scanning technology, nurses will scan patients' arm bracelet IDs so
bar-coded medications can be scanned and compared, ensuring they get
the right dose of the right medication, at the right time, following
the right route.

  "Everything that McKesson has implemented in this hospital is
designed to meet the changing needs of patients and to improve their
experience," said Mrunal Shah, M.D., vice president of Physician IT
Services for Dublin Methodist Hospital. "This is not just a few extra
products to reduce paperwork, but a full digital infrastructure. The
most important part is that everything is clincally integrated so we
can easily find the information we need. The connectivity allows
doctors to treat patients in the hospital, in their office or at home,
and allows for more time for the clinician to spend with the patient."

  Through its involvement in the Pebble Project, a research effort
led by The Center for Health Design, a nonprofit research and advocacy
organization, Dublin Methodist Hospital also focuses on the softer
side of care.

  --  The hospital features all private rooms that are big enough
       for patients, families and caregivers to help reduce stress,
       reduce the chance of infection and improve confidentiality.

  --  All rooms are designed and laid out exactly the same way.
       What's on the left in one room will be on the left in the next
       room, reducing patient care errors.

  --  The hospital's interior courtyards allow natural light to
       reach nearly 90 percent of all spaces, and the facility also
       boasts rooftop gardens, a waterfall and trees in the lobby.

  --  Staff work stations are decentralized and open to bring
       caregivers closer to their patients.

  Herbert noted that the softer side needs technology to be a fully
integrated experience. McKesson products include tracking boards in
the emergency department to advise caregivers of patient status,
leading to greater efficiency and shorter wait times. A centralized
scheduling system enables more efficient use of equipment, staff time
and facilities, while a surgical management system aids in automating
operating room processes. Using McKesson's RelayHealth(R) network, the
hospital can electronically process patient bills and insurance
claims, while also enabling patients to review their statements and
manage their accounts online. And McKesson's analytical tools will
enable the executive team and managers to make ongoing improvements in
clinical, financial and operational performance.

  "The system that McKesson has developed for Dublin Methodist
Hospital is the future of healthcare happening right in front of us,"
said Thomas Harmon M.D., medical staff president for Dublin Methodist
Hospital. "The products are focused on improving patient care at every
level and are very intuitive. This is not technology for technology's
sake - it is making us better doctors."

  "McKesson is proud to partner with OhioHealth and the team at
Dublin Methodist Hospital as they open one of the most advanced
hospitals in the country," said Sunny Sanyal, chief operating officer,
McKesson Provider Technologies. "Their vision for safe, connected
healthcare is inspiring, and we look forward to supporting them as
they pursue clinical excellence and enhanced patient outcomes."

  About OhioHealth

  Dublin Methodist Hospital is a part of OhioHealth, a nationally
recognized, not-for-profit, charitable healthcare organization serving
and supported by the community. Named by FORTUNE Magazine as one of
the "100 Best Companies To Work For in 2007," it is a family of 15
hospitals, 20 health and surgery centers, home-health providers,
medical equipment and health service suppliers throughout a 46-county
area. Other OhioHealth hospitals in central Ohio are Riverside
Methodist Hospital, Grant Medical Center, Doctors Hospital and Grady
Memorial Hospital. For more information, please visit our Web site at
www.ohiohealth.com.