Through Helios by Eclipsys(TM), healthcare organizations can now utilize best-of-breed applications in an integrated environment with Eclipsys enterprise solutions. The result is reduced costs, enhanced ability to embrace and extend current technology investments, and removal of the technology innovation constraints caused by waiting for a single vendor's development timeline.

"The tension that exists in healthcare information technology has been between best-of-breed and enterprise solutions. CIOs have had to choose between providing clinicians the applications that are specifically targeted at them, or an enterprise solution that provides comprehensive access to data and lowers the cost of ownership," said Philip M. Pead, president and chief executive officer of Eclipsys. "CIOs should be able to provide their clinicians with a choice without having to worry about managing the overhead of multiple vendors, maintaining multiple interfaces and having to ensure data integrity. Eclipsys now gives them that choice. Helios by Eclipsys(TM) delivers the solution by offering a seamless ecosystem of health information technology where hospital CIOs can have real choices, third-party applications developers can accelerate innovation, and clinicians can focus on the patient, not data entry."

Open Platform Brings Game-Changing Opportunities for Other Vendors, Too

Eclipsys is offering software development kits to enable clients and third parties to natively write applications on the Helios by Eclipsys(TM) platform, which will eliminate the need for interfaces thereby dramatically lowering the cost of technology ownership. Eclipsys already is working with several partners to build applications on the Helios by Eclipsys(TM) platform, including Microsoft; Health Care Systems, Inc., a leading provider of healthcare software, including HCS Medication Reconciliation; Capsule Tech, Inc., the worldwide leading provider of medical device connectivity; and Hill-Rom IT Solutions, a leading manufacturer and provider of medical technologies and best known for its "smart" hospital beds.

"When you consider that nearly 20 percent of a healthcare IT project's budget can go toward interfacing disparate software applications and devices with the other core enterprise systems, an open platform is a powerful value proposition for hospitals," said Adam McMullin, vice president of Hill-Rom IT Solutions. "The ability to integrate directly with Helios by Eclipsys(TM) means we will be able to provide a lower cost, more effective and safer solution to clients, while accelerating the data and workflow benefits of our products, like NaviCare(R) WatchChild(R) or our Hill-Rom smart beds, which are designed to provide real-time patient data to clinicians in a way never before possible."

"Monolithic platforms are one of the major issues facing our sector because they limit the ability to innovate, not to mention interfaces are tedious and treacherous," said Greg Walton, chief information officer ofEl Camino Hospital. "You don't find closed models in any other sector, yet in healthcare there still is this prevailing approach of, 'If you just buy everything from us you will be okay.' The more we can exchange data while lowering costs the better for the patient and the caregiver. I believe in this fundamental business change by Eclipsys to open up its software. This is going to help the U.S healthcare system in the long run by accelerating the speed of innovation."

Sunrise Enterprise 5.5 Delivers a Meaningful Solution for Meaningful Use

The introduction of Helios by Eclipsys(TM) is packaged with the new release of Eclipsys' Sunrise Enterprise(TM) 5.5, which features a rich suite of solutions wrapped by a highly intuitive user interface. Representing the most significant uplift to Eclipsys' leading electronic health record solution, Sunrise Enterprise 5.5 has been specifically crafted to help healthcare organizations in meeting the expected "meaningful use" requirements of the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009 (ARRA), as well as achieving Stage 7 in the HIMSS Analytics EMR Adoption Model. From screens to icons, the user experience has been completely transformed into a customizable workspace that is tailored to the way medicine is practiced. Specific design features offer clinicians the ability to open and work in multiple patient charts while easily customizable alerts, which are based on physician experience, help to prevent alert fatigue. The underlying technology also will dynamically adjust as it learns more about the user's specific workflow preferences.

"This announcement today is only the beginning," continued Pead. "Our proven, reliable applications have earned our clients the distinction of leading the industry in CPOE adoption. In addition, Eclipsys clients represent more than 80 percent of the U.S. News & World Report 'America's Best Hospitals' and outperform our peers in composite performance across all CMS quality measures. Helios by Eclipsys(TM) and Sunrise Enterprise 5.5 will enable Eclipsys clients to set the pace for the next decade."

About Eclipsys

Eclipsys is a leading provider of advanced integrated clinical, revenue cycle and performance management software, clinical content and professional services that help healthcare organizations improve clinical, financial and operational outcomes. For more information, see www.eclipsys.com or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

To view more about Helios by Eclipsys(TM), see www.YouTube.com/EclipsysTV.