iKnowMed™ Named Number One Web-Based Electronic Health Record (EHR) System for Oncology and Hematology Practices

THE WOODLANDS, Texas, April 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Out of 20 electronic health record (EHR) systems researched by Black Book Rankings, iKnowMed™ EHR was the highest ranked web-based EHR vendor and the number two overall vendor for oncology and hematology practices. iKnowMed, an oncology-specific EHR developed by oncologists to meet the unique needs of cancer patients and oncology practices, is a product of US Oncology – a division of McKesson Corporation.

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"Receiving recognition as a top vendor is exciting for us. This ranking validates the thought and hard work that has gone into developing iKnowMed," said Asif Ahmad, Clinical and Technology Services, McKesson Specialty Care Solutions and US Oncology. "To hear that customers are overwhelmingly satisfied with our product is encouraging as we continue to improve and enhance iKnowMed EHR to meet the unique needs of community-based oncology practices."

Over a three month period, Black Book Rankings, a division of Brown-Wilson Group, Inc., the unbiased source for polling, surveys and market research, surveyed 70,000 healthcare professionals in North America, including physicians and practice administrators, to find the top performing and highest respected EHR vendors in four categories...radiology, pathology, oncology and cardiology.

Through its annual survey, Black Book Rankings focused on 18 areas from innovation and training to trust and reliability. US Oncology's iKnowMed EHR was one of only two vendors in the Oncology category that received "above expectations" rankings in every area. In fact, iKnowMed was named number one out of 20 vendors in two specific areas: integration and interfacing, as well as data security and backup services.

"As thousands of physician practices scramble to select and implement EHR systems, it's our responsibility at Black Book Rankings to provide a trusted comparison of EHR vendors so physicians and administrators can identify those that can best meet their needs," said Doug Brown, managing partner, Black Book Rankings. "Our survey was able to identify the EHR vendors that delivered on implementation success, productivity, outcomes and support. We congratulate iKnowMed on its high ranking and hope that our surveys and publication can continue to give vendors the information they need to put the customer first."

US Oncology and McKesson are always looking for ways to better serve their customers. This value is evident in future plans to enhance the already top-ranked iKnowMed EHR by integrating it with Lynx Mobile, McKesson's inventory management, charge capture and reporting solution. This will provide an even more user-friendly clinical workflow application with robust decision support and flexibility that meets the requirements laid out for certification and meaningful use.

Currently, iKnowMed is implemented in more than 200 sites of care nationwide. The web-based EHR allows practices to have 24/7 immediate access to comprehensive patient charts, detailed cancer diagnosis and staging content, and an extensive up-to-date cancer regimen library that allows them to make treatment decisions from anywhere at any time, without the need of a patient's paper record. iKnowMed EHR further enhances patient safety in the practice through the elimination of handwritten notes and drug orders, which minimizes misinterpretations, and through safety alerts generated through the system when it detects possible medication conflicts or high toxicity levels in each patient. The system also has the ability to identify patients for appropriate clinical trials available at the practice and suggest evidence-based treatment options  with point-of-care decision support.

For more information on iKnowMed EHR or to request a copy of the Black Book Rankings report, call (866) 216-5053 or visit www.iKnowMed.com.

About US Oncology

US Oncology, Inc., a division of McKesson Corporation, is a leading integrated oncology company. By uniting one of the largest community-based cancer treatment and research networks in America, US Oncology expands patient access to high-quality care and advances the science of cancer care. Headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas, US Oncology is affiliated with 1,400 community-based oncologists, and works with patients, hospitals, payers, and the medical industry across all phases of the cancer research and delivery continuum. By promoting the use of innovative technology, clinical research, evidence-based medicine and shared best practices, US Oncology improves patient outcomes and offers a better patient experience. For more information, visit www.usoncology.com.

About iKnowMed™

US Oncology leverages the innovation of iKnowMed™, a Web-based oncology-specific electronic health record (EHR) system designed by oncologists to enhance the patient experience and advance the science of cancer care. Developed in 1996 and acquired by US Oncology in 2004, iKnowMed goes beyond delivering standard EHR features by leveraging technology that helps physicians focus on clinical excellence and cost-effectiveness in community cancer care. With more than 940,000 patient records; 6,800 concurrent users; and nearly 1,000 provider users both inside and outside of the United Network of US Oncology, the system provides insight into quality patient care and serves as a decision support tool at the point of care by providing staging and diagnosis suggestions according to criteria from the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC). The system also allows access to US Oncology's Level I Pathways -- evidence-based medicine -- and screens new patients for potential clinical trial eligibility for open trials available at the practice. For more information call (866) 216-5053 or visit www.iKnowMed.com.

About Black Book Rankings

Black Book Rankings, a division of Brown-Wilson Group, Inc., the unbiased source for polling, surveys, and market research, surveyed 70,000 healthcare records professionals, physician practice administrators, and hospital leaders in the information technology arenas to provide EMR users, media, investors, quality minded vendors, and prospective buyers of EMR/EHR software with a comprehensive comparison of the industry's top respected and performing vendors. Black Book Rankings employs detailed key performance indicators targeted at ensuring high product and service performance through comparing vendors from the customer experience. For comprehensive research and ranking data, www.blackbookrankings.com

SOURCE US Oncology, Inc.