News Release: May 20, 1998

Albuquerque, NM -- Presbyterian Healthcare Services has been selected as one of only two international sites to be visited by representatives from Thorax Centrum, a world-renowned academic institution located in The Netherlands.

Thorax Centrum personnel will visit Presbyterian Hospital in Albuquerque on May 22 to view the organization's Apollo computer system, a cutting-edge cardiac database that gives physicians immediate desktop access to individual patient data through a Local or Wide Area Network.

Media will have the opportunity to interview Max Patjin of Thorax Centrum at Presbyterian Hospital, 1100 Central Avenue SE, on Friday, May 22 between 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. He will meet with Presbyterian representatives and view the Apollo system in use.

The advent of new software such as the Apollo cardiac database is significant because it denotes a move toward the "virtual medical record". With such software, physicians can now view a patient's complete medical history from the computer desktop, including reports, patient history and even medical imaging.

Thorax Centrum is collaborating with manufacturer Seattle Systems on new innovations in the Apollo software and sought to view an up-to-date installation of the software in a large, high-volume setting. As a result, Presbyterian Healthcare Services, which has one of the largest installations of its kind in the world, was chosen as a review site.

Presbyterian uses Apollo software in conjunction with 22 networked stations. The network allows physicians to view nearly two dozen different cardiac records at one time. This capability will help primary care physicians better work with heart doctors in providing comprehensive, patient-focused care.

Thorax Centrum is an internationally recognized research institution and development site located in Rotterdam, Holland. The institution has partnered with Seattle Systems, Siemens and other firms to develop numerous tools used today in cardiac medicine. Thorax Centrum employs 13 computer programmers in its cardiac division alone.

Seattle Systems is a leading developer of Microsoft® Windows™-based clinical information management software for cardiovascular medicine and other resource-intensive medical specialties. The company has an installation base of more than 250 facilities worldwide, with clients that include some of the world's most prestigious medical centers at Stanford, Yale, Johns Hopkins, Baylor and Amsterdam Medical College.

Founded in 1908, Presbyterian Healthcare Services is a community-based, New Mexico not-for-profit healthcare organization. More than 400,000 New Mexico residents are served each year by Presbyterian facilities and programs. The organization owns, manages, or leases a statewide network of services including hospitals, outpatient centers, a health plan, and physician groups. Specialized programs include a nationally recognized heart care program, the state's only heart transplant program, a level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and high-risk obstetrical services.