Personal Health Records: Northern California HIMSS Presents an Educational Event on the Challenges of Deploying Internet-Based, Patient-Facing Health Records

Business Wire, Nov 27, 2006

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Northern California Chapter of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) announces today a special educational session to take place on Tuesday, December 5, 2006, in San Ramon, CA. The Personal Health Records event features market analysis and case studies of the challenges and issues facing deployment over the Internet of patient-facing health information and the Personal Health Record (PHR). PHRs provide a method for patients to access their medical record online (connecting them with their providers' electronic medical records). In addition, a personal health record allows patients to add their own personal information - creating a portable health record that is "owned" by the patient.

"Providing patients with direct access to their own medical record information is a very timely topic for our members and the community," said Amy Fowler, President of Northern California HIMSS and District Manager for Government, Education, and Healthcare, EMC, South San Francisco, CA. "We look forward to learning about innovative solutions to the challenges of PHR deployment from these industry leaders."

This educational session is one of a series presented by Northern California HIMSS that focuses on how technology can improve care delivery and management of healthcare. Sessions are attended by physicians, nurses, and healthcare professionals, as well as technology developers and healthcare administrators.

[TABLE OMITTED]

Program Sponsors for the Personal Health Records event are: Beacon Partners, CSC (NYSE:CSC), Initiate Systems, MS9 Consulting, and Point B Solutions.

About the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS)

The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) is the healthcare industry's membership organization exclusively focused on providing leadership for the optimal use of healthcare information technology (IT) 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 20,000 individual members and over 300 corporate members that collectively represent organizations employing millions of people. HIMSS frames and leads healthcare public policy and industry practices through its advocacy, educational and professional development initiatives designed to promote information and management systems' contributions to ensuring quality patient care. The Northern California Chapter of HIMSS serves over 900 members and the Northern California healthcare community at large. Visit www.nocalhimss.org for the Northern California HIMSS chapter or www.himss.org.

Event Registration and Program Information Available Through the Northern California HIMSS Website:

http://www.nocalhimss.org