UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY HEALTH AND GE MEDICAL SYSTEMS UNVEIL PLANS FOR THE SOUTHEAST’S FIRST DIGITAL, RESEARCH-FOCUSED HEART HOSPITAL
Pepin Heart Hospital & Research Institute to provide enhanced care and research for patients with cardiovascular disease in the Southeast United States
Tampa, Fla. (January 7, 2004) – University Community Health (UCH) system and GE Medical Systems announced today that they have entered into a Strategic Alliance Agreement to build one of the nation’s most advanced heart hospitals. Under the agreement, GE Medical Systems will be the technology provider for UCH’s new cardiovascular hospital, designed to deliver an unprecedented standard of cardiovascular care in the Southeast using advanced digital technology, when it opens in the spring of 2005.
UCH will break ground on the $40 million, 120,000 square-foot hospital in January 2004 on the campus of University Community Hospital in Tampa, Fla. The advanced specialty facility, to be named the Pepin Heart Hospital and Research Institute, will be designed as a virtually paperless, filmless and wireless environment, enabling clinicians to focus on providing the highest quality, most informed care to their patients. At the core of the digital workflow will be GE’s Centricity® Cardiology Information System and Centricity Clinical Information System, a complete, fully-electronic patient record system that enables doctors and nurses to view patient information anytime, from inside or outside the hospital and make care decisions right at the patients’ bedside. Computerized Physician Order Entry will allow clinicians to electronically order medications, which will help reduce the opportunity for medical errors.
The facility will feature the most advanced diagnostic and imaging technologies from GE, such as the Innova® all-digital cardiovascular imaging system, the all-digital Vivid 7 Cardiovascular Ultrasound system, and Centricity Picture Archiving and Communications System (PACS), which allows clinicians to manage digital patient images. Other leading technology from GE to be featured at the Pepin Heart Hospital includes several Dash® patient monitors, the MUSE ECG management system, and the Mac-Lab® hemodynamic monitoring system.
“The commitment of GE Medical Systems to develop a ‘showcase’ facility for their technology is a huge plus for our state and our community,” said Governor Jeb Bush. “Not only will this enhance Florida’s medical capabilities, but it will add to the expanding role that Florida is enjoying as a world-class destination for biotech and medical engineering, research and development. We welcome the opportunity to demonstrate to the nation and the world that Florida is leading the way with the newest technologies for cardiovascular research and care.”
“We’re proud to announce plans to join with UCH to create a truly leading edge, digital cardiovascular hospital,” said Dow Wilson, president and CEO, GE Medical Systems Information Technologies. “The Pepin Heart Hospital and Research Institute will become a model for a new generation of cardiovascular care in the Southeast and across the nation.”
“UCH is a leading pioneer in the digital transformation of health care and we’re looking forward to embarking on this exciting joint initiative. Together, we will work to enhance the quality of patient care through research-based care, while further advancing GE’s technologies,” added Wilson.
In addition to state-of-the art technology, the hospital will also feature an expanded research program that will build on the collaborative efforts already in place with the National Institutes of Health, Duke University’s Clinical Research Facility, the Cleveland Clinic, Washington Hospital Center, Mayo Clinic and other world-renown research facilities. This research has enabled the Pepin Heart & Vascular Institute to introduce lifesaving procedural and technological breakthroughs long before they became available in most other hospitals. In addition, a large-scale auditorium will host clinical research and education seminars and symposiums for clinicians throughout the region.
“We are at a defining moment in healthcare. There is currently no resource of this scale in the Southeast, and only a few in the world, that can provide the patient care, service, innovation and capacity that we envision for the Pepin Heart Hospital and Research Institute,” said Norm Stein, president of University Community Health.
“Pepin Heart Hospital and its team of physicians and staff are enthusiastic to partner with GE, the leader in medical technology. GE is known globally for its ability to provide a distinctive breadth of services – from clinical information systems and CT scanners to lighting – as well as strong implementation experience. We are contracting with a company that shares our vision to fundamentally change the way healthcare is delivered. Our objective is to create a facility that focuses on the patient and offers clinicians an environment where they can deliver the best patient care available today. With GE as our technology partner, we will be uniquely positioned to fulfill that vision,” added Stein.
“The facility will be another example of UCH’s commitment to provide high quality health care services to this community,” said Robert Anderson, Chairman of the Board for University Community Health.
The new Pepin Heart Hospital will include a 52-bed pre/post cardiac unit, 16 cardiovascular critical care beds, a 20-bed cardiac surgery recovery unit, 48 progressive care beds, five surgical suites, ten cardiac catheterization/invasive procedure labs with additional diagnostic equipment, and a dedicated auditorium to be used for education and training presentations. For more information visit www.pepinheart.org.
About University Community Health
University Community Health is a 1,019-bed not-for-profit community health network serving Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas Counties. This sophisticated health care network offers the latest treatment options and state-of-the-art technology at its four hospital locations: University Community Hospital and University Community Hospital-Carrollwood in Tampa, Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital in Tarpon Springs, and Sun Coast Hospital in Largo. A leader in meeting the health care needs of the community, University Community Health continues to fulfill its mission of service and care to the community. For more information visit www.uch.org
About GE Medical Systems
GE Medical Systems is a $10 billion global leader in medical imaging, point-of-care systems, healthcare services, and information technology. Its offerings include networking and productivity tools, clinical information systems, patient monitoring systems, anesthesia and respiratory care, maternal-infant care systems, surgery and vascular imaging, conventional and digital X-ray, dental imaging, computed tomography, electron beam tomography, magnetic resonance, ultrasound and bone mineral densitometry, positron emission tomography, nuclear medicine, and a comprehensive portfolio of clinical and business services. For more than 100 years, health care providers worldwide have relied on GE Medical Systems for high quality medical technology and productivity solutions. For more information, visit the GE Medical Systems Web site at www.gemedical.com.
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