Iowa Health System Makes the Move to McKesson's Solution for Medical Imaging

ATLANTA - (BUSINESS WIRE) - Dedicated to enabling healthcare providers to improve performance using information technology, McKesson has signed an agreement with Iowa Health System to help the statewide medical services innovator streamline workflow and boost productivity. McKesson is deploying its enterprise-wide solution Horizon Medical Imaging picture archiving and communications system (PACS) at 34 metropolitan hospitals and clinics throughout Iowa. Iowa Health System, the state's first and largest integrated health system, conducts an increasing number of procedures per year and diagnostic imaging is a critical element to delivering high-quality and timely patient care.

Iowa Health System is currently live on the new PACS solution in five of the seven regions it serves - including Des Moines, Quad Cities, Fort Dodge, Sioux City and Waterloo. The remaining regions, Cedar Rapids and Dubuque, are expected to be live by the end of this year. The project also includes data migration of all historical Iowa Health System data, which should be completed in November as well.

"We selected McKesson as our technology partner following an extensive search to replace our previous PACS vendor," said Joy Grosser, chief information officer for Iowa Health System. "We were looking for an experienced and committed partner capable of quickly improving the overall productivity of our medical and radiology teams across the state. Additionally we wanted a vendor that would be committed to our long-term success. The switch to McKesson represents a strategic step into the 21^st Century that will deliver a real competitive edge for our team statewide."

Bill Leaver, president and chief executive officer of Iowa Health System, notes the immediate, positive impact the McKesson PACS is expected to have on radiology workflow and patient care. "When this project is fully complete, our physicians and radiologists will have fast, easy access to their files, images and results virtually anywhere and anytime," he said. "Our goal is to provide the best healthcare possible to the communities we serve. With the new PACS in place, our physicians will be able to make care decisions much faster."

Iowa Health System will take advantage of the broad range of McKesson PACS features and benefits, including advanced communications capabilities that make real-time work list reviews possible. The system also makes physician and radiologist consultations easier, regardless of whether participants are down the hall or across the state.

"Our team remains focused on providing IT solutions that transform the way healthcare leaders like Iowa Health System distribute and share medical images and information region-wide," said Rod O'Reilly, president, Medical Imaging Group, McKesson Provider Technologies. "As Iowa Health System completes its switch to Horizon Medical Imaging and anticipates system growth and expansion, its medical teams are well-positioned to provide the best-informed patient care today and far into the future."

About Iowa Health System

Iowa Health System is the state's first and largest integrated health system, serving nearly one of every three patients in Iowa. Iowa Health System provides care throughout Iowa and western Illinois, with 26 hospitals in metropolitan and rural communities and more than 140 group practices of physicians and clinics. With more than 2.5 million patient visits and annual revenues of $2 billion, Iowa Health System is the sixth largest nondenominational health system in America and provides community benefit programs and services to improve the health of people in its communities. For more information, visit www.ihs.org.

About McKesson

McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 15^th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and information technology company dedicated to helping its customers deliver high-quality healthcare by reducing costs, streamlining processes, and improving the quality and safety of patient care. McKesson has been in continuous operation for more than 175 years, making it the longest-operating company in healthcare today. Over the course of its history, McKesson has grown by providing pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management across the spectrum of care; healthcare information technology for hospitals, physicians, homecare and payors; hospital and retail pharmacy automation; and services for manufacturers and payors designed to improve outcomes for patients. For more information, visit http://www.mckesson.com.

McKesson
Yancey Casey, 404-338-2468
yancey.casey@mckesson.com