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Software Complies with 100% of Updated Interoperability Requirements Sage Software Healthcare, Inc., a leading provider of electronic health records, announced that The Certification Commission for Healthcare Information Technology (CCHIT(R)) has approved Sage's product, Sage Intergy EHR, as a CCHIT Certified(R) 08 Ambulatory EHR, additionally certified for Child Health and Cardiovascular Medicine, and meets the Certification Commission's electronic health record (EHR) criteria for office-based use. Ambulatory EHRs are designed for physician offices and clinics where most Americans get their healthcare. The Commission - a private, nonprofit organization - is the Recognized Certification Body in the United States for certifying health information technology products.

"Two key new areas of interoperability are required to achieve 08 certification," said Mark Leavitt, M.D., Ph.D., chair, CCHIT. "First, ambulatory EHRs must be capable of advanced electronic prescribing functions so physicians can qualify for bonuses under Medicare's new incentive program. Second, EHRs must be able to send and receive an electronic patient summary. These and other new criteria will ensure that certified health IT products help improve quality, safety and efficiency while protecting the privacy of health information."

"The Certification Commission has provided the industry with reliable benchmarks for the standardization that will continue to improve interoperability," said Lindy Benton, Chief Operating Officer, Sage Software Healthcare, Inc. "Physicians gain a level of confidence about the electronic health record choices they make when they choose a certified product - and by choosing a certified product, like Sage Intergy EHR, they are one step closer to being able to leverage HITECH incentives."

In the third year of the program's operation, the criteria and testing have been significantly updated again to provide physicians with more assurance that certified products will meet their needs for functionality, interoperability and security. The Commission added 19 criteria to the 200 required in 2007. Those changes were focused on the ability to exchange patient information with other systems. A CCHIT Certified 08 Ambulatory EHR ensures:

• Additional electronic prescribing features: access to the patient's medication history, formulary, and eligibility.
• Better and safer medication dosing, adjusted for patient weight and other factors.
• Better ability to prevent adverse reactions due to drug interactions or allergies.
• Use of standard formats to exchange basic patient information for continuity of care.
• Enhanced ability to view X-rays and other diagnostic images.
• Better management of patient consents and authorizations.
• Increased use of standard formats when receiving and storing laboratory result

As a CCHIT Certified product, Sage Intergy EHR has been tested and passed inspection of 100 percent of these new criteria

The CCHIT Certified "seal of approval" for EHR products provides a consensus-based, government-recognized benchmark for ambulatory EHR products. By looking to products with the CCHIT Certified seal, physicians and other providers can reduce their risk in selecting an EHR product, allowing them to focus their evaluation on the special needs of their practices.

About Sage Software Healthcare, Inc.

Sage Software Healthcare, Inc., provides integrated electronic health records (EHR), EDI applications and practice management systems to thousands of ambulatory care practices throughout North America. These systems enable physicians and practice managers to better manage their practices and improve profitability. Sage Software Healthcare, Inc. is based in Tampa, Fla., and is a division of Sage North America. For more information, please visit www.sagehealth.com

Source: Sage Software Healthcare, Inc.