IT awards

MS-HUG announces finalists in annual awards

CHICAGO and REDMOND, Wash. – Microsoft Healthcare Users Group (MS-HUG) and Microsoft Corp. have announced 28 finalists for the eighth annual MS-HUG awards, which showcase the most innovative solutions and customers of Microsoft technology in the healthcare industry.

The honors are awarded by MS-HUG, a membership community of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS), in recognition of the significant contributions being made by organizations and individuals to improve the quality of patient care.

The awards include recognition for hospitals, clinics, health plans and leading healthcare providers that demonstrate the best use of Microsoft-based products in the patient care arena. Also honored are leading independent software vendors (ISVs) developing solutions on Microsoft technology to address the diverse challenges faced by the healthcare industry. Award contestants in this category are evaluated on the extent to which they provide significant business benefits to healthcare organizations and improve patient care.

“Innovation is critical as we see healthcare technology rising to the forefront of national consciousness. Participants across the healthcare value chain agree that we need new and improved ways to increase the quality of patient care and the satisfaction of those providing care and contain costs through initiatives that drive productivity, safety and efficiency,” said Steve Shihadeh, general manager of Healthcare and Life Sciences at Microsoft. “The MS-HUG annual awards program gives Microsoft the opportunity to recognize the efforts of organizations and individuals who are significantly contributing to the transformation of the healthcare system in a positive way.”

“By honoring these individuals and organizations each year, we demonstrate how technology can be leveraged to improve the overall quality and effectiveness of patient care, something that is top of mind for all of us,” said Drexel DeFord, chairman of the MS-HUG Advisory Committee. “The individuals and healthcare organizations participating in the MS-HUG awards program are leading the way for dramatic change in the healthcare industry.”

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 2005 Conference & Exhibition, Feb. 14-17,in Dallas. Winners will be announced in the theater at Microsoft booth No. 3035 at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 15. In addition, the ISV and customer winners will be highlighted on the HIMSS and MS-HUG Web sites: www.himss.org and www.mshug.org/awards.

The 2005 category finalists for the MS-HUG annual awards are as follows:

Microsoft Customer Awards Finalists

Microsoft Clinic of the Year
Affinity Health Group, Tifton, Ga.
Center for Assisted Reproduction, Bedford, Texas
Ogden Clinic, Ogden, Utah

Microsoft Health Plan of the Year
Highmark Inc., Pittsburgh
Partnership HealthPlan of California, Fairfield, Calif.
Premera Blue Cross, Mountlake Terrace, Wash.

Microsoft Hospital of the Year
Alamance Regional Medical Center, Burlington, N.C.
Norton Healthcare, Louisville, Ky.
Truman Medical Centers Inc., Kansas City, Mo.

Microsoft Nurse of the Year
Monica Andrews, RN, Center for Assisted Reproduction, Bedford, Texas
Mindy Jones, Affinity Health Group, Tifton, Ga.
Lori Reynolds, BSN, Fairview Health Services, Minneapolis

Microsoft Physician of the Year
Kevin J. Doody, M.D., Center for Assisted Reproduction, Bedford, Texas
Craig F. Feied, M.D., FACEP, FAAEM; National Institute for Medical Informatics and MedStar Health, Washington
E. Monty Stirman, M.D., Holston Medical Group, Kingsport, Tenn.

Healthcare ISV Finalists

AdministrativeFinancial Systems
Allscripts, IMPACT.MD
API Software Inc., Payrollmation Series Time and Attendance System
NextGen Healthcare Information Systems Inc., NextGen EPM

Acute Care: ClinicalPatient Information Systems
dbMotion Ltd., The dbMotion System
Picis Inc., CareSuite
Stentor Inc., iSite Enterprise Picture Archiving Communication Systems

Ambulatory Care: Clinical Patient Information Systems
Allscripts, Touchworks
iMedica Corp., iMedica PhysicianSuite
MedInformatix Inc., MedInformatix
NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, NextGen EMR

Enabling Technologies
Galvanon Inc., MediKiosk CVM Enterprise Server
Gold Standard, eMPOWERx
Midmark Diagnostics Group, IQmark Digital ECG PDA

An independent panel of judges, including leaders in the healthcare industry and domain experts, selected this year’s finalists. Full details are available on the MS-HUG Web site at www.mshug.org/awards.