Help Prevent Medical Errors With Information and Technology

GREENWOOD VILLAGE, Colo., Feb. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Thomson MICROMEDEX will demonstrate how the latest developments in information can support clinicians' decisions at this year's Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) in San Diego, Feb. 9-13. Attendees and members of the media are invited to be a "clinician for a day" and work with MICROMEDEX products in a simulated patient situation in the emergency department and following through admissions.

For 29 years, MICROMEDEX, a part of The Thomson Corporation Toronto, has provided hospital systems with evidence-based information to support clinicians in making wise medical decisions. This year, MICROMEDEX will demonstrate how today's information and technology products can assist throughout the entire clinician experience in booth 2913.

"A video will walk attendees through a scenario of a 20-year-old pregnant woman who is suffering from an acute asthma exacerbation," said Dana McCullah, director of market management. "By viewing the simulation, attendees will understand how MICROMEDEX clinical databases and integrated decision support provides a foundation for decisions in the treatment of patients."

Clinicians are required to remember hundreds of drugs, read mountains of journal articles, and diagnose and treat an ever-increasing number of patients each and every day. At the same time -- and often under time pressure in emergency situations -- clinicians must also remember dosing requirements, possible interactions, potential side effects, treatment options, and specific disease symptoms. Then mix in alternative medicines, patient education, and administrative paperwork and it is no wonder that medical errors are possible.

"There are more drug interaction bulletins issued on a daily basis than a physician could read in a 40-hour week," said McCullah. "We use technology to provide tools, which not only provide this information, but fit smoothly in a clinician's work flow."

For detailed information about MICROMEDEX, call (800) 525-9083 (+1 303 486-6444 outside the U.S.) or visit http://www.micromedex.com/ .

About Thomson MICROMEDEX

MICROMEDEX has been providing knowledge-based information for healthcare, safety, and the environment since 1974. Today, MICROMEDEX is relied upon in over 9,000 facilities in more than 92 countries. The Thomson Corporation (www.thomson.com ), with 2001 revenues of $7.2 billion, is a global leader in providing integrated information solutions to business and professional customers. Thomson provides value-added information, software applications and tools to more than 20 million users in the fields of law, tax, accounting, financial services, higher education, reference information, corporate training and assessment, scientific research and healthcare. The Corporation's common shares are listed on the New York and Toronto stock exchanges Toronto.

MICROMEDEX

CONTACT: Dana McCullah, Director of Market Management, +1-303-486-9031,
dana.mccullah@mdx.com , or Jackie Reed, Public Relations Manager,
+1-303-486-6535, jackie.reed@mdx.com , both of MICROMEDEX

Web site: http://www.micromedex.com/http://www.thomson.com/