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Eclipsys Financial Software Saves Millions at St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center, Syracuse, NY

Posted on: Wednesday, 29 March 2006, 09:01 CST

BOCA RATON, Fla., March 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Eclipsys Corporation(R) , The Outcomes Company(R), today announced that St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center, Syracuse, NY, has documented record cash collections, achieved near-100-percent registration accuracy, and recovered more than $20 million in revenues over budget due to reduced Accounts Receivable days. According to Mike Shaffer, St. Joseph's chief financial officer, these results can all be attributed to the use of Sunrise Access Manager/Patient Financial Manager(TM), Eclipsys' revenue cycle management software solution.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050209/FLW006LOGO )

Sunrise Access Manager/Patient Financial Manager provides healthcare organizations with a comprehensive, enterprise-wide enterprise master person index (EMPI), scheduling, registration and patient accounting solution that includes a combined business office. The solution streamlines revenue cycles, leverages managed-care contracts for more-effective reimbursement and accounts-receivable processes, and re-engineers administrative and financial processes to match contemporary healthcare workflows. By extending revenue cycle workflow beyond the healthcare organization, integrating payers, patients and an organization's Finance staff in a seamless, automated environment, it reduces costs while speeding and maximizing reimbursement.

Streamlined Workflows for Improved Financial Health

"Cash collections have never been higher as a result of using Eclipsys Sunrise Access Manager/Patient Financial Manager," Shaffer said. "Our registration accuracy has improved from 75 percent to almost 100 percent, and because we have cleaner claims, we can collect the cash faster. In addition, since the implementation of Sunrise Access Manager/Patient Financial Manager, our combined inpatient and outpatient volumes have increased significantly, but we haven't had to increase full-time staff in the registration and financial management areas because our workflows are so efficient."

Since installing Sunrise Access Manager/Patient Financial Manager in 1999, Shaffer reported that St. Joseph's has reduced net days in Accounts Receivable to 56 days, a reduction of 34 percent, for a projected $20-million cash recovery over budget. Other significant improvements at St. Joseph's include:

* Cash collections $3 million above goal * Recovered $1.8 million in insurance company underpayments * Decreased number of denied claims

* Maximized reimbursement from managed-care contracts due to improved verification

* Improved communication with insurance companies and health plans

"St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center has been involved with every new release of Sunrise Access Manager/Patient Financial Manager and has been instrumental in providing valuable quality assurance input during development," said R. Andrew Eckert, Eclipsys president and CEO. "St. Joseph's is also a shining example of how Eclipsys solutions can dramatically improve enterprise-wide workflows to impact not only clinical health, but also a healthcare organization's financial health as well."

More than 1,300 users at St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center have access to Sunrise Access Manager/Patient Financial Manager in both the hospital and affiliated clinics. Using the latest version of the proven revenue cycle management solution, release 11.5, St. Joseph's continues to build upon the positive financial outcomes it has consistently achieved since the initial system installation.

About St. Joseph's Health Center

St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center ( http://www.sjhsyr.org/ ) is a non- profit, 431-bed hospital and healthcare network providing services to patients from Onondaga and 15 surrounding counties. Through prevention programs and the latest diagnostic treatment procedures, St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center works with patients to achieve optimum long-term health. Winner of the National Research Corp. Consumer Choice Award for the past five consecutive years, St. Joseph's is designated a Magnet Hospital for Nursing Excellence by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the highest honor bestowed on a hospital for nursing care.

About Eclipsys

Eclipsys is a leading provider of advanced clinical, financial and management information software and service solutions to more than 1,500 healthcare facilities. Eclipsys empowers healthcare organizations to improve patient safety, revenue cycle management and operational efficiency through innovative information solutions. For more information, see http://www.eclipsys.com/ or email info@eclipsys.com.

Statements in this news release concerning the scope of the relationship, the timing of implementation, and the benefits provided by Eclipsys software are forward-looking statements and actual results may differ from those projected due to a variety of risks and uncertainties. Implementation and customization of Eclipsys software is complex and time-consuming. Results depend upon a variety of factors and can vary by client. Each client's circumstances are unique and may include unforeseen issues that make it more difficult than anticipated to implement or derive benefit from software or implementation services. The success and timeliness of the company's services will depend at least in part upon client involvement, which can be difficult to control. Eclipsys is required to meet specified performance standards, and the contract can be terminated or its scope reduced under certain circumstances. More information about company risks is available in recent Form 10-K and other filings made by Eclipsys from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Special attention is directed to the portions of those documents entitled "Risk Factors" and "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations." Eclipsys Corporation and The Outcomes Company are registered trademarks of Eclipsys Corporation. Sunrise Access Manager/Patient Financial Manager is a trademark of Eclipsys Corporation. Other product and company names in this news release are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

Eclipsys Michael E. Donner Chief Marketing Officer (media) (561) 322-4485 michael.donner@eclipsys.com Robert J. Colletti Chief Financial Officer (investors) (561) 322-4655 investor.relations@eclipsys.com St. Joseph's Health Center Charles J. Fennell Chief Information Officer (315) 214-6905 chuck.fennell@sjhsyr.org

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050209/FLW006LOGOAP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com

Eclipsys Corporation

CONTACT: Media, Michael E. Donner, Chief Marketing Officer,+1-561-322-4485, or michael.donner@eclipsys.com, or Investors, Robert J.Colletti, Chief Financial Officer, +1-561-322-4655, orinvestor.relations@eclipsys.com, both of Eclipsys; or Charles J. Fennell,Chief Information Officer, St. Joseph's Health Center, +1-315-214-6905, orchuck.fennell@sjhsyr.org

Web site: http://www.eclipsys.com/http://www.sjhsyr.org/

Source: PRNewswire-FirstCall

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