Children's of Alabama Completes Implementation of Comprehensive Anesthesia Documentation Solution from Surgical Information Systems

ATLANTA, Dec. 17, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Surgical Information Systems ('SIS'), a leader in perioperative information systems, announced today that Children's of Alabama has expanded its relationship with SIS by completing their implementation of the company's anesthesia information management system (AIMS). SIS Anesthesia works in conjunction with the hospital's Allscripts Sunrise Clinical Manager™ health information system and SIS perioperative IT solution, to create a comprehensive perioperative record. The result is a system that facilitates the accessibility of patient information throughout the perioperative continuum and throughout the enterprise.

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Demand for care has increased at the pediatric hospital due to the recent addition of a new cardiac service line and the expansion of the facility's partnership with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB). Already benefitting from increased efficiency through its nursing documentation and communication tools, Children's looked to anesthesia as an area to drive even greater efficiencies and support care quality efforts throughout their perioperative department.

As part of their implementation, the facility upgraded to the latest version of the SIS Solution and deployed tablet PCs for anesthesia preoperative documentation, benefitting from advanced features and technology while helping ensure rapid provider adoption. Children's worked closely with the SIS Services team using a guided process that promoted a smooth transition to the comprehensive software suite.

"With the full implementation available to the entire preoperative care team, we are now well-positioned to realize improved operational efficiencies and support care quality across our surgery department -- and share that essential patient information across the enterprise," notes Jack Storey, Chief Information Officer at Children's. 

Children's implementation includes SIS' automated anesthesia information management system (AIMS) to improve accuracy and completeness of the anesthesia record throughout all phases of care, including intraoperative anesthesia documentation with automated data capture from supported critical care devices such as anesthesia ventilators and vital sign monitors. The facility also implemented SIS' role-based analytics tool to promote optimized performance. Anesthesia providers can now collect and analyze anesthesia-specific clinical intelligence to support care quality improvements and enable compliance.

"Our mission is to provide the finest pediatric health services and we are committed to that goal," said Pete Van Pelt, Senior Vice President of Operations at Children's. "The transition from a paper record to anesthesia automation is a natural step that supports this mission. With a clinician-friendly interface and powerful analytics, SIS Anesthesia supports our workflow and our efforts to provide children with safe, quality, efficient care within a caring environment. "

"A single integrated perioperative record supports goals to provide excellent patient care, something that is mission-critical to pediatric facilities such as Children's," said Ed Daihl, SIS's Chief Executive Officer. "By automating anesthesia with SIS, they now have a comprehensive documentation solution that will help them achieve their patient care and efficiency goals."

About Children's of Alabama

Children's of Alabama has provided specialized medical care for ill and injured children across the state and throughout the southeastern U.S. since 1911. For the past three years, Children's has been ranked among the best children's hospital programs in the nation by US News & World Report. Last year, patients made more than 634,000 outpatient and nearly 14,000 inpatient visits to Children's from every county in Alabama and from 47 other states. With more than 2 million square feet, it is the third largest pediatric medical facility in the U.S. Children's offers inpatient and outpatient services across its Russell Campus on Birmingham's historic Southside with additional outpatient services provided at Children's South and Children's on 3rd. Primary care is provided at more than a dozen medical offices in communities across central Alabama. Children's of Alabama is the only medical center in Alabama dedicated solely to the care and treatment of children. It is a private, not-for-profit medical center that serves as the primary site of the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) pediatric medicine, surgery, research and residency programs. Children's recently moved much of its inpatient services into a new building named The Benjamin Russell Hospital for Children. More information is available at www.childrensal.org

About SIS

Surgical Information Systems ("SIS") provides software solutions that are uniquely designed to add value at every point of the perioperative process. Developed specifically for the complex surgical environment, all SIS solutions – including anesthesia – are architected on a single database and integrate easily with other hospital systems. SIS offers the only surgical scheduling system and the only anesthesia information management system endorsed by the American Hospital Association (AHA), and analytics and rules-based charging products that have been granted Peer Reviewed status by the Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA). SIS is also the first AIMS provider to be designated as an AQI Preferred Vendor by the Anesthesia Quality Institute (AQI). Most recently, SIS Anesthesia was rated #1 in the recently released anesthesia specialty report by KLAS, AIMS 2012: Cooperation is Key.¹

SIS, the SIS logo, and Surgical Information Systems are trademarks of Surgical Information Systems, LLC. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. 

For more information, visit our website, www.SISFirst.com.

¹ August, 2012. © 2012 KLAS Enterprises, LLC. All rights reserved. www.KLASresearch.com.

SOURCE Surgical Information Systems