Roche Launches EMR Interface for VA to Facilitate Diabetes Management

INDIANAPOLIS, April 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) announced today that it has introduced a new Electronic Medical Record (EMR) interface for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) that helps VA healthcare facilities improve their efficiency and accuracy by transmitting patient diabetes management data directly into the VistA computerized patient record system (CPRS).

The new JResultNet™ middleware module from Dawning Technologies Inc. enables VA providers to transfer patient blood glucose test results automatically and securely to their EMR from the ACCU-CHEK® 360 Diabetes Management System, a tool designed to help physicians and patients manage diabetes in an outpatient setting. Dawning is a leading supplier of connectivity solutions to the clinical laboratory market.

"This integration package allows any provider within the VA's healthcare system to access a patient's glucose test results, and it offers them a much easier, more accurate way to capture the information and deliver it to the patient's EMR," said Keith Snyder, director of marketing at Roche Diagnostics Corporation. "It has already been successfully implemented at several VA sites, and is contributing to improved efficiency levels."

The JResultNet middleware module delivers test results from the ACCU-CHEK 360 system to the VistA system as an HL7-based TIU (text integration utility) connection – a standard component of the VistA system. The enhanced connectivity helps reduce the potential for errors and helps increase workflow efficiency for the healthcare provider.

About Diabetes and the VA

Diabetes impacts over 20 percent of VA patients, representing more than 1 million veterans at any given time, and that number continues to rise. The cost of treating complications from diabetes is significant, with one diabetes-related heart attack estimated to cost over $14,000.  The VA's diabetes programs are focused on reducing preventable morbidity and mortality.  Providing secure, automated access to patient glucose results for the entire healthcare team can help facilitate the achievement of that goal.

About Dawning Technologies Inc.

Dawning Technologies Inc. is a leading supplier of connectivity solutions to the clinical laboratory market. In business since 1984, Dawning solutions are installed in over 4,000 client sites worldwide. Their customers include information system vendors, IVD instrument manufacturers, POC system vendors and clinical laboratories of all forms. Dawning solutions are available for nearly all clinical analyzers, POC and system-to-system connections. For more information contact their web site at www.dawning.com.

About Roche

Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is a leader in research-focused healthcare with combined strengths in pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. Roche is the world's largest biotech company with truly differentiated medicines in oncology, virology, inflammation, metabolism and CNS. Roche is also the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics, tissue-based cancer diagnostics and a pioneer in diabetes management. Roche's personalized healthcare strategy aims at providing medicines and diagnostic tools that enable tangible improvements in the health, quality of life and survival of patients. In 2010, Roche had over 80,000 employees worldwide and invested over 9 billion Swiss francs in R&D. The Group posted sales of 47.5 billion Swiss francs. Genentech, United States, is a wholly owned member of the Roche Group. Roche has a majority stake in Chugai Pharmaceutical, Japan. For more information: www.roche.com or www.roche-diagnostics.us.

ACCU-CHEK is a trademark of Roche. Please note that a degree symbol follows the name ACCU-CHEK 360 but is not included due to limitations of website symbol translation capabilities. JResultNet is a trademark of Dawning Technologies. All trademarks used or mentioned in this release are protected by law.

SOURCE Roche Diagnostics