CCHIT Certification

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McKesson's Practice Partner Patient Records Software Receives 2008 CCHIT Certification

Practice Partner® Electronic Medical Record Software Also Receives Specialty Certification for Ambulatory and Child Health

ATLANTA, October 9, 2008 - The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT®) today announced that McKesson's Practice Partner® Patient Records 9.3 software complies with updated interoperability requirements, is CCHIT Certified® 2008 Ambulatory EHR, is additionally certified for Child Health, and meets the Certification Commission's electronic health record (EHR) criteria for office-based use. Ambulatory EHRs are designed for physician offices and clinics where most Americans get their healthcare. The Certification Commission, a private, nonprofit organization, is the Recognized Certification Body in the United States for certifying health information technology products.

“Two key new areas of interoperability are required to achieve ’08 certification,” said Mark Leavitt, M.D., Ph.D., chair, CCHIT. “First, ambulatory EHRs must be capable of advanced electronic prescribing functions so physicians can qualify for bonuses under Medicare’s new incentive program. Second, EHRs must be able to send and receive an electronic patient summary. These and other new criteria will ensure that certified health IT products help improve quality, safety and efficiency while protecting the privacy of health information.”

In addition to complying with updated interoperability requirements required to achieve certification, Practice Partner Version 9.3 has also received CCHIT’s 2008 specialty certification for Ambulatory and Child Health. The Practice Partner software earned this certification by fulfilling all of CCHIT’s clinical and administrative requirements specific to child health practices. This is first time that CCHIT has provided certification of EHRs for specialties.

“The CCHIT Certified mark – a ‘seal of approval’ for EHR products – provides the first consensus-based, consistent benchmark for ambulatory products. By looking to products with the CCHIT Certified seal, physicians and other providers can feel confident they are making a reliable investment, and insurers know the products meet expected industry standards,” said Bing Teng, vice president and general manager of McKesson’s Practice Partner business.

McKesson’s Practice Partner Patient Records software is designed with a number of tools including automated progress note templates; evidence-based content at the point of care; electronic prescription capabilities; orders and results and automated health maintenance reminders. In addition to the specific CCHIT 2008 certification requirements, Practice Partner Patient Records, Version 9.3, introduces a new set of powerful tools providers can use for patient care. Key new features include:

• Support of CCD (Continuity of Care Document) allowing the import and export of patient data from Practice Partner to other EHRs and PHRs
• Drug Dose Calculator allowing easy calculation of drug dosage based on the patient’s weight
• Integration with UpToDate® Online, providing Web-based access to the pertinent evidence-based content from within the Practice Partner software
• Integration with Welch Allyn CardioPerfect™ Workstation, allowing the collection and storage of 12 lead ECGs from the Practice Partner software

“Physicians who purchase certified products have the assurance that the products have been reviewed by a panel of judges, including practicing physicians, and that the products are being evaluated against standards set by professionals in the field and successfully piloted with products from large and small companies,” said Leavitt.

The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT®) is a private, nonprofit organization that has been named by the federal government as the Recognized Certification Body for health information technology. Its mission is to accelerate the adoption of health information technology by creating a credible, sustainable certification program. The certification requirements are based on widely accepted industry standards and involve the work of hundreds of expert volunteers and input from a variety of stakeholders throughout the health care industry. More information on CCHIT and CCHIT Certified® products is available at http://www.cchit.org and http://www.ehrdecisions.com.

McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 18th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and information technology company dedicated to helping its customers deliver high-quality healthcare by reducing costs, streamlining processes, and improving the quality and safety of patient care. McKesson is the longest-operating company in healthcare today, and will mark 175 years of continuous operations in 2008. Over the course of its history, McKesson has grown by providing healthcare information technology for physicians, hospitals, homecare and payors; pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management across the spectrum of care; hospital and retail pharmacy automation; and services for manufacturers and payors designed to improve outcomes for patients. For more information, visit http://www.mckesson.com.

“CCHITsm” and “CCHIT Certifiedsm” are service marks of the Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology.