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For Immediate Release 3/31/2009

LifeBridge Health Begins Health Information Exchange

Sandra Crockett 410.601.5528 scrocket@lifebridgehealth.org Jill Bloom 410.601.5025 jbloom@lifebridgehealth.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 30, 2009 LIFEBRIDGE HEALTH BEGINS HEALTH INFORMATION EXCHANGE LifeBridge Health has begun an electronic exchange of health information between its two hospitals, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore and Northwest Hospital, and Saint Agnes Hospital. When patients arrive at Sinai, Northwest or Saint Agnes hospitals, an electronic query is sent to the other organization requesting clinical information. Any clinical information that is electronically available is returned to the requesting hospital in less than three minutes. "Every minute and every piece of background information counts when a patient comes to the Emergency department, and this capability may provide our physicians virtually instant access to critical information when a patient comes in for the first time," said William Jaquis, M.D., chief of Emergency Medicine at Sinai Hospital. This health information exchange is the first example of a hospital-to-hospital exchange in Maryland. Electronic health information exchange is a major goal of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 to utilize information technology to make the delivery of health care more efficient and effective. Electronic health information exchanges allow non-aligned health care providers, including both hospitals and physicians, to share patient information to provide physicians with additional clinical information to expedite the diagnosis and treatment of the patient's condition. LifeBridge Health received a grant from CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield to fund the purchase of software and services from HealthUnity for the exchange. There are a number of other health information exchanges currently being planned in Maryland. LifeBridge Health is a regional health organization that includes Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Northwest Hospital, Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital, Jewish Convalescent & Nursing Home, and related subsidiaries and affiliates. For more information, visit www.lifebridgehealth.org. Saint Agnes Hospital is a 307-bed hospital founded by the Daughters of Charity in 1862. Saint Agnes is a full-service teaching hospital with residency programs in a number of medical and surgical specialties. Key services include the Saint Agnes Cancer Center and Center for Blood Disorders, the Chest Pain Emergency Center, the Bariatric Center of Excellence, Joint and Spine Care, Cardiovascular Services, Women's Health Services, and Seton Medical Group. Saint Agnes is a member of Ascension Health, the largest nonprofit health care organization in the nation. Ascension Health is dedicated to reaching new heights in health care and service to communities, as well as serving as a model for faith-based health care throughout the world. For more information on Saint Agnes HealthCare, visit www.stagnes.org. ### More News...