Microsoft Healthcare Users Group and Microsoft Announce Finalists of MS-HUG Annual Awards

CHICAGO and REDMOND, Wash., Jan. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Microsoft Healthcare Users Group (MS-HUG) and Microsoft Corp. today announced 28 finalists for the MS-HUG annual awards, which recognize the most innovative solutions and customers of Microsoft(R) technology in the healthcare industry. The honors are awarded annually by MS-HUG, a part of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society's (HIMSS) Users Group Alliance Program.

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The awards recognize healthcare organizations and individuals who exhibit the best use of Microsoft-based products, and independent software vendors (ISVs) that develop solutions on Microsoft technology for the healthcare industry. Award contestants are evaluated on the extent to which they provide significant business benefits to healthcare organizations and improve patient care. Microsoft introduced a new awards category for the 2004 competition, the Microsoft Nurse of the Year Award, to recognize the nurse who demonstrated the best use of Microsoft-based products and tools in her or his field.

"The MS-HUG annual awards program gives Microsoft the opportunity to recognize ISVs offering healthcare technology that addresses industry challenges, and customers who are using Microsoft's proven innovation to provide higher-quality service in the healthcare community," said David Lubinski, managing director of the Healthcare and Life Sciences Group at Microsoft. "By offering new and improved ways to increase productivity, safety and efficiency, all MS-HUG annual award entrants are helping realize the potential of technology in the advancement of healthcare."

"The companies and healthcare organizations participating in the MS-HUG awards program are leading the way for dramatic change in the healthcare industry, using proven technology solutions to reduce the rising costs of medical care," said Andrew Fowler, chairman of the MS-HUG Advisory Committee. "By honoring these individuals and organizations, we show our support for, and move toward our goal of, improving the overall quality and effectiveness of patient care."

Recognized as leaders in the healthcare industry by Microsoft and MS-HUG, the ISV finalists will demonstrate their solutions in the Microsoft booth at the HIMSS 2004 Conference & Exhibition, Feb. 22-26, in Orlando, Fla. Winners will be announced in the theater at the Microsoft booth, No. 3069, at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 24. In addition, the ISV and customer winners will be highlighted on the HIMSS and MS-HUG Web sites.

The 2004 category finalists for the MS-HUG annual awards are as follows: Microsoft Customer Awards Finalists Microsoft Clinic of the Year -- Center for Assisted Reproduction, Bedford, Texas -- Central Utah Multi-Specialty Clinic, Provo, Utah -- Vision Associates Inc., Toledo, Ohio Microsoft Health Plan of the Year -- Highmark Inc., Pittsburgh -- Molina Healthcare Inc., Long Beach, Calif. -- Partnership HealthPlan of California, Fairfield, Calif. Microsoft Hospital of the Year -- Mercy Hospital Inc., Miami -- Sarasota Memorial Hospital, Sarasota, Fla. -- Sutter Delta Medical Center, Antioch, Calif. Microsoft Nurse of the Year -- Monica Andrews, RN, Center for Assisted Reproduction, Bedford, Texas -- Victoria Ganz, RN, Mary Washington Hospital, Fredericksburg, Va. -- Jennifer Lane, RN, QA/Ed, Swedish Medical Center, Seattle Microsoft Pharma of the Year -- PediaMed Pharmaceuticals Inc., Florence, Ky. Microsoft Physician of the Year -- Kevin J. Doody, MD, Center for Assisted Reproduction, Bedford, Texas -- Jeffrey Johnson, MD, Central Utah Multi-Specialty Clinic, Provo, Utah -- Christopher Madden, MD, Affinity Health Group LLC, Tifton, Ga. Healthcare ISV Finalists Administrative/Financial Systems -- A4 Health Systems, HealthMatics Ntierprise -- NextGen Healthcare Information Systems Inc., NextGen EPM -- ProClarity Corp., ProClarity Analytics Platform Acute Care: Clinical/Patient Information Systems -- Eclipsys Corp., Sunrise Clinical Manager -- Stentor Inc., iSite "Enterprise First" PACS -- VISICU Inc., eICU Solution Ambulatory Care: Clinical/Patient Information Systems -- iMedica Inc., iMedica PhysicianSuite -- JMJ Technologies Inc., EncounterPRO -- NextGen Healthcare Information Systems Inc., NextGen EMR Enabling Technologies -- Midmark Diagnostics Group, IQmark Diagnostic PDA -- Ovid Technologies Inc., Journals@Ovid Medical Research -- Synergistix Data Solutions, Call Activity Tracking System (CATS)

The 28 finalists were selected by an independent panel of judges, which included healthcare leaders and domain experts.

Full details are available on the MS-HUG Web site at http://www.mshug.org/awards/index.asp . More information about the awards is available by contacting Monika Skibeness at monika_TCS@msn.com or 425-316-3079.

About MS-HUG

Microsoft Healthcare Users Group is a membership community within the HIMSS Users Group Alliance Program, providing technology leadership and knowledge for improving healthcare delivery and efficiency. The alliance provides HIMSS with targeted industry expertise to help broaden its professional and industry contributions, and MS-HUG members with the opportunity to reach new markets with educational and professional development programs.

MS-HUG is the leading healthcare industry forum for exchanging ideas, promoting learning and sharing solutions for information systems using Microsoft technologies. MS-HUG works to provide industry leadership, drive appropriate standards and develop associated requirements in support of healthcare solutions. The diverse membership of MS-HUG is united by a shared interest in implementing vendor- and user-developed software based on Microsoft technology to improve quality and efficiency in healthcare. More information can be found on MS-HUG's Web site at http://www.mshug.org/.

About HIMSS

HIMSS (Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society) is the healthcare industry's membership organization exclusively focused on providing leadership for the optimal use of healthcare information technology and management systems for the betterment of human health. Founded in 1961 with offices in Chicago, Washington, D.C., and other locations across the country, HIMSS represents more than 13,000 individual members and some 150 member corporations that employ more than 1 million people. HIMSS shapes and directs healthcare public policy and industry practices through its advocacy, educational and professional development initiatives designed to promote information and management systems' contributions to quality patient care. Visit http://www.himss.org/ for more information. HIMSS. The Source for Healthcare Information.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and Internet technologies for personal and business computing. The company offers a wide range of products and services designed to empower people through great software -- any time, any place and on any device.

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For more information on Microsoft Healthcare: http://www.microsoft.com/healthcare/

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CONTACT: Tracey Ferriss of SS+K, +1-425-201-2055, or tferriss@ssk.com,
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Web site: http://www.microsoft.com/healthcare

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