Eclipsys' Sunrise Record Manager Fully Supports All HIPAA Patient-Privacy Rules — All Sunrise Solutions Designed to Enable Customers to Achieve, Maintain HIPAA Compliance

Business Wire, May 22, 2001

Business Editors

DELRAY BEACH, Fla.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 22, 2001

Eclipsys Corporation (Nasdaq:ECLP), The Outcomes Company(R), today reported that its Sunrise(TM) Record Manager electronic document-management solution fully supports all of the final patient-privacy rules released by the U.S. federal government as part of the Health Insurance Portability and Accessibility Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

In mid-April, the Bush Administration announced that it will implement the pending HIPAA regulations for ensuring both security and appropriate access to patient information. "This means that many healthcare organizations (HCOs) now must move forward quickly to evaluate their current information-handling procedures and tools, and to consider the implementation of new information technologies to improve their ability to be HIPAA-compliant," said Harvey J. Wilson, Eclipsys chairman and CEO. "We are extremely pleased to report that our industry-leading Sunrise Record Manager-Gold product has been carefully evaluated and today meets all of HIPAA's final patient-privacy rules."

Even if these initial federal protections to safeguard the confidentiality of patients' medical records are modified as anticipated, many of the requirements will remain as specified, noted Martha Skeens, MBA, RHIA, Eclipsys' director of HIPAA and Compliance. "This means that by April 2003 -- just two years from now -- the U.S. government will guarantee Americans the right to review their own medical records, restrict the freedom of those who provide or pay for healthcare to disclose patients' information without permission and limit the information disclosed to the minimum necessary," said Skeens. "Written consent from patients will be required before using or exchanging patient-identifiable information between physicians/HCOs and the patient's health plan. The intention of these standards is to prevent release of sensitive information to financial institutions or employers, for example, and to create penalties for misuse of such records."

Wilson noted that the new regulations will begin to drive healthcare organizations to implement new electronic medical record capabilities as the regulations are analyzed and better understood. "Along with the other drawbacks of a paper-based record environment -- caregivers' limited access to critical information wherever it's needed to provide care, for instance -- it is simply impossible to meet these new mandates for data security with paper records," Wilson said. "Eclipsys' solutions are specifically designed to put the right information into the hands of the right members of the care-delivery team -- wherever, whenever and however they need it to provide the most-effective care possible -- while ensuring the highest possible levels of patient-data confidentiality. This begins with the first patient contact and extends through patient care and record management and completion. Thus, HIPAA-compliance support isn't limited just to our Record Manager product but is a focus of our entire Sunrise product line, from Access Manager to Clinical Manager and our other integrated solutions."

'Greatest impact on healthcare delivery since Medicare'

HIPAA is expected by many to have the greatest impact on American healthcare delivery since Medicare was enacted in 1965. "The good news for HCOs is that HIPAA presents significant opportunities to obtain greater efficiencies that reduce costs and increase return on investment," according to Skeens. She noted that some of the significant benefits attainable when an organization implements standardized transactions and codes to achieve HIPAA compliance include:

-- Improved patient safety with fewer adverse medical events (AMEs)

-- Increased revenue with better cash flow

-- Decreased cost of operations

-- Decreased revenue cycle

-- Improved access to health information with sophisticated security protocols

-- Greater efficiency

-- More-effective processes

-- Improved customer satisfaction.

Most organizations are now in the assessment phase, including strategic planning and education as well as risk assessment, gap analysis and implementation. Eclipsys' Business Solutions Group offers HIPAA-assessment services that are being used by many customers to speed this essential but time-consuming process. These services include educational briefings, readiness assessments, project management and assisting the HCO with remediation planning. Project management extends through system conversion (if needed) and implementation monitoring, auditing, staff training and education.

Eclipsys products in solid shape to support HIPAA compliance

Eclipsys' Sunrise solutions capably support HIPAA compliance because they have been developed using the latest proven technologies and incorporate recognized standards for best practices as defined by the industry as a whole and Eclipsys' customers in particular. They recognize the value of standard electronic transactions and code sets, as well as the need to maintain a high level of security to protect the integrity of the patient records and the patient's right to privacy. For example, Sunrise Clinical Manager, Sunrise Patient Financial Manager and Sunrise Record Manager all use tools that help customers meet HIPAA's electronic data interchange (EDI) standards, security components and privacy requirements." Accelerated payments using systems featuring EDI such as Patient Financial Manager can mean an additional $6-million-plus per year, with additional cost savings of more than $4 million annually, according to one recent study.