SAN DIEGO, Jan. 4, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Skylight Healthcare Systems(R), the leading provider of interactive patient care systems, announced today a significant contract extension with Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian in Newport Beach, along with a new contract to deploy Skylight ACCESS(R) at the new Hoag Hospital Irvine when it opens in late 2010. The Skylight ACCESS system provides patients with customized health information, education and interactive services -- all at the bedside. Skylight ACCESS has demonstrated improved patient satisfaction and outcomes, while enhancing the entire patient care continuum for health care professionals, patients, and their families.
The contract with Hoag calls for expansion of Skylight ACCESS(R) across the 498-bed acute care facility and will additionally benefit patients receiving care in their five renowned centers of excellence: Hoag Cancer Center, Hoag Heart and Vascular Institute, Hoag Neurosciences Institute, Hoag Orthopedic Services and Hoag Women's Health Services.
Construction at Hoag Hospital Irvine is underway and the new facility is on schedule to open in late 2010. When the new hospital opens, Hoag Hospital Irvine will provide a full spectrum of inpatient and outpatient services, including a fully staffed emergency room. With 154 beds and the latest diagnostic and clinical equipment, this new campus will be an extension of Hoag's services in Newport Beach and its seven Hoag Health Centers throughout Orange County.
Hoag Hospital was also the first U.S. hospital to launch the next generation extension of Skylight ACCESS called iCarePassport. iCarePassport is healthcare's first complete web-based solution that provides patients and provider organizations a pre-admission through post-discharge interactive care and outcomes network. Linking the patient's continuum of care with the hospital stay, iCarePassport is designed to integrate seamlessly with Skylight Healthcare's ACCESS Interactive Patient Care System and the wealth of inpatient services it provides.
Through the Skylight ACCESS system, patients of both Hoag hospitals will have direct access to disease- and condition-specific health information, connection to patient support departments and a real-time feedback forum that will allow the hospital to solicit patient feedback and provide immediate service recovery to address patient issues. Patients will also enjoy high-speed Internet, e-mail and other first-class entertainment options including popular movies, music and games. As part of their system-wide performance improvement efforts, Hoag will continue to increase the time clinicians spend providing direct patient care and improve the effectiveness of patient education efforts.
"As one of Skylight's first customers, we are deeply gratified to receive the continued support and partnership from Hoag Hospital," said David Schofield, President and CEO of Skylight Healthcare Systems. "Hoag is a recognized leader in clinical care and provides unsurpassed personalized attention to their patients and the people who care for them. We support the efforts of Hoag and their dedication to community involvement, and their continued ranking among the top five percent of hospitals in the nation for clinical quality outcomes."
"In keeping with our tradition of providing the highest quality health care to our patients and their families, we are pleased to extend the comprehensive benefits of the Skylight Interactive Patient systems to all Hoag patients," commented Dr. Jack Cox, Chief Quality Officer for Hoag. "We are looking forward to a continued partnership with Skylight characterized by innovation and productivity that will provide only the highest quality of relevant clinical information, education, and services to our patients and families."
About Skylight Healthcare Systems
Skylight(R) Healthcare Systems is the industry pioneer and leader in interactive patient care technology. With patient communication as the cornerstone of a safe, comfortable and clinically optimal hospital experience, the Skylight ACCESS(R) Interactive Patient System encourages patient and family to actively participate in their health care, improves communication between staff and patient/family members, and provides a smoother and faster recovery and discharge plan. Skylight's vision is to provide hospitals with a robust tool which will allow them to greatly enhance interactive communication along the entire patient care continuum from pre-admission through post-discharge. In nearly 15,000 installed locations, leading hospital administrators have confidently selected Skylight Healthcare Systems as the proven choice for their interactive patient care technology. Skylight Healthcare Systems is headquartered in San Diego, California. For more information about Skylight Healthcare Systems, please visit: www.Skylight.com.
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About Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian is a 498-bed, not-for-profit, acute care hospital located in Newport Beach, Calif. Fully accredited by The Joint Commission and designated as a Magnet hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), Hoag offers a comprehensive mix of health care services, including Centers of Excellence in cancer, heart and vascular, orthopedics and women's health services. A National Research Corporation Consumer Choice Award endorses Hoag as Orange County's most preferred hospital based on overall quality of health care services and places Hoag in the top five percent of hospitals nationwide. And in a local newspaper survey, Orange County residents have named Hoag the county's top hospital for 13 consecutive years.