Prime Healthcare Services

April 12, 2012

Phillipsburg, NJ – Prime Healthcare Services (PHS), a progressive and rapidly expanding hospital management company based in Ontario, CA, currently owns and operates sixteen acute-care hospitals. In February 2012, PHS signed a master agreement with INFINITT North America to replace PACS and Cardiology PACS at several of its California hospitals.

Prime Healthcare Services (PHS) has been ranked by Thomson Reuters as one of the 15 Top Health Systems in the nation (January, 2012) based on quality of care, efficiency and patient satisfaction. The mission of PHS is to provide comprehensive, quality healthcare on a model that emphasizes timely and cost-efficient emergency care.

Centinela Hospital Medical Center (CHMC), a 369-bed PHS hospital, implemented the INFINITT PACS five years ago to support the full spectrum of diagnostic services and almost 60,000 ED visits annually. The PACS increased reading efficiency and reduced report turnaround times, metrics directly related to Emergency Department throughput and quality of care.

“The INFINITT PACS helped us to deliver services in a more timely and efficient manner,” said Shawna Tanaka, CHMC’s Radiology Director. “We also like INFINITT’s ED Notes feature; we encourage all our ED physicians to jot down their impressions to give the radiologists a better overall picture of the patient’s condition.”

INFINITT PACS has also been implemented at Encino Hospital Medical Center (151 beds) in Encino, CA and Desert Valley Hospital in Victorville, CA (83 beds). Additional implementations are planned for Chino Valley Medical Center in Chino, CA; Sherman Oaks Hospital in Sherman Oaks, CA; Alvarado Hospital (Cardiology PACS) and newly acquired Harlingen Medical Center in Texas (Radiology and Cardiology PACS).

INFINITT PACS is a category leader in KLAS, having achieved No. 1 rankings in the Best in KLAS Awards: Software and Services for Community PACS for three years in a row (2009, 2010 and 2011).* KLAS is an independent research firm specializing in monitoring and reporting on vendors’ performance in the healthcare market. For more information, visit www.KLASresearch.com.

About INFINITT North America

INFINITT North America, located in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of INFINITT Healthcare, a global company with more than 2500 PACS installations worldwide. Infinitt’s web-based image and information management solutions include RIS, PACS, Cardiology PACS, Mammo PACS, Orthopedic PACS, Dental PACS and 3D/Advanced Visualization software, all operating on a single database. This architecture simplifies workflow, increases system reliability, and reduces cost and support requirements. For more information, visit Infinitt at www.infinittna.com or contact marketing@infinittna.com.

Alvarado Hospital once again is teaming up to participate in the 2011 San Diego Heart Walk, a 5k non-competitive walk to raise awareness and funds to support the American Heart Association’s mission to build healthier lives free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke—the nation’s No. 1 and No. 3 killers. Alvarado Hospital is an event sponsor.

Almost everyone knows someone who has suffered from heart disease or stroke. This is an opportunity to experience the pride and satisfaction that comes from knowing you were an important part of an effort that raised dollars to help save lives from heart disease and stroke.

The walk is Saturday, Sept. 17, in Balboa Park. In addition to the 5k, there is also a one-mile survivor walk.

Registration is free, although the American Heart Association is asking for donations or fundraising efforts to support your participation. Everyone who raises $100 will receive an official Heart Association T-shirt. To register for Team Alvarado, visit www.AlvaradoHospital.com.

Robert Thome, an internationally acclaimed mouth painter, will be teaching Alvarado Hospital Medical Center rehabilitation patients/former patients how to use art as a therapeutic tool on Friday, Aug. 26, 12:30-2:30 p.m.

Thome, who was born in 1954, became a quadriplegic in his teens following an injury sustained while playing football. Always interested in art, he turned to mouth painting as a form of therapy and self-expression. He has a particular passion for encouraging rehabilitation patients to turn to art because many disabled people become isolated, and creating artwork provides a social outlet.

Thome’s art career spans more than 35 years, more than 1,000 pieces of art and his work has been exhibited around the world, including exhibits and prominent galleries in the U.S., Sydney, China, New Zealand, Italy, Portugal and England. He is a lifetime member of the Association of Mouth and Foot Painting Artists. He also has been inducted into the California Governor’s Hall of Fame.

On Aug. 26, Thome will guide the Alvarado Hospital rehabilitation class in a step-by-step group art project on canvas. No prior art experience is required of the participants, only a willingness to get caught up in a creative experience.

The completed work of art will be exhibited at the “Rehab Every Body Matters” display in the fall at Alvarado Hospital as part of National Rehabilitation Awareness campaign.