“Going Green” takes on new meaning for health care systems nationwide with the adoption of an eco-friendly health care information technology (HIT) system from Informatics Corporation of America’s (ICA; www.icainformatics.com), providing clinicians with a single technology solution for accessing, evaluating and acting upon patient information across disparate systems. Implementation of the ICA CareAlign™ solution enables health care enterprises to truly embrace the “Three R’s” of responsible ecological performance: reduce, reuse and recycle.

“Ripping and replacing existing technology systems in order to streamline services is not only financially unsound, but also compromises the greening initiatives of a health care facility,” says Gary Zegiestowsky, CEO of ICA. “Think of ICA technology as an eco-friendly solution that is akin to installing new insulation in the walls of an old house. CareAlign™ enhances the value of existing legacy HIT, cuts costs and eliminates old paper-based systems.”

ICA’s CareAlign™ technology extracts clinical data from existing clinical information systems within the healthcare setting, aggregating the information into a single view that enables users to search and query data to identify key trends both for a patient or a patient population. Its data management capabilities are designed for the meaningful use of health care information, with a focus on the needs of patients and consumers. CareAlign™ enables HIT departments to follow the “Three R’s” of a green environment:

Reduce utilization of natural resources, repeating identical data entries, duplication of invasive diagnostic tests, and usage of paper -- faxes, “sticky” notes, telephone logs, and referral forms.

Reuse patient-reported information to eliminate repetition as individuals migrate through the healthcare matrix within their community; lightens staff workload and dramatically advances the quality of care.

Recycle existing technology to achieve value in a timely and cost effective manner while maximizing investments in the current system; mitigates need to retrain personnel.

“Historically, HIT has not quite been as green as other sectors that have embraced the digital age and streamlined operations, with legacy systems still surviving and becoming integrated into many health care environments,” adds Zegiestowsky. “With the growing demand for eco-friendly settings, CareAlign™ emerges as a viable option to reduce, reuse and recycle HIT. This green mindset sends a positive message throughout the enterprise and makes patient information available at every touch point of the health care continuum.”

About Informatics Corporation of America (ICA)

Informatics Corporation of America (ICA) was created with nationally renowned Vanderbilt Medical Center to take innovative technology developed by Vanderbilt physicians to the broader healthcare market. Today ICA is unmatched in its ability to deliver a cost-effective, proven solution that leverages complete data across clinical settings to aid decision-making and improve patient outcomes. Visit www.icainformatics.com.