Science & Technology
Science and Technology
Science and Technology 
Wed, January 14, 2009
University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and Eclipsys Form Academic Partnership to Bring HIT to Nursing Education Curriculu
ATLANTA--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Eclipsys Corporation®, (NASDAQ:ECLP), The Outcomes Company®, today announced the formation of an academic partnership with the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing (Penn Nursing) to provide tomorrow's nurses with healthcare information technology experience. Penn Nursing educators plan to use the partnership to develop and implement curriculum that incorporates Eclipsys' advanced information technology solutions, hardware and clinical expertise.
"Due to the availability of vast amounts of evidence and content that has infused the healthcare sector in recent years, the complexity of professional practice has risen dramatically," said James Cato, EdD, RN, CRNA, CPEHR, Eclipsys vice president and Chief Nursing Officer. "Eclipsys clinical solutions offer a strong integration of evidence and content into professional workflows that provide student clinicians a unique learning opportunity while assuring that faculty has the latest methodologies for teaching."
Through the curriculum, Penn Nursing students will have access to the company's information technology and will use a wealth of evidence-based practice guidelines, clinical content and knowledge management tools. Use of Eclipsys information technology in the curriculum will help prepare nursing students for clinical rotations beginning in their sophomore year at the top-ranked Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Exposure to this type of technology also prepares students for clinical experiences where other variants of the technology are employed.
During the learning process, nursing students will experience the use of clinical information systems in simulated, but realistic, healthcare situations.
"At a time of great need to counter the growing nursing shortage, Penn Nursing is providing nursing students with a solid background that helps them more quickly and fully prepare to enter the profession," said Afaf Meleis, PhD, DrPS(hon), FAAN, Margaret Bond Simon Dean of Nursing at Penn Nursing. "As Penn Nursing celebrates its 30-year legacy in providing the highest level of nursing scholarship through doctoral education, it is important that we continue to seek ways to advance the science of nursing with emphasis on technology tools that are widely deployed and highly adopted."
"As part of our commitment to providing world-class nursing education opportunities, Penn Nursing educators recognize the value of bringing healthcare information technology into our curricula," said Kathryn H. Bowles, PhD, RN, FAAN, Associate Professor of Nursing at Penn Nursing. "Where nursing students today practice real-world care scenarios on mannequins and document that care on paper, bringing clinical information technology into clinical practice will heighten students' experience and ability to translate new information and knowledge into practice."
Cato further noted, "Today's students typically are technology savvy and enter their higher-learning experience with the expectation that technology will factor heavily in the way they learn. We are thrilled to collaborate with one of the nation's finest nursing schools to continue our important work of transforming care delivery – and nursing education – using our advanced information technology. These students will enter the workforce with a thorough understanding of the patient safety and workflow efficiencies possible with clinical information technology and become excellent advocates for increased adoption across the industry."
About University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
One of the leading nursing schools in the nation according to U.S. News & World Report, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing is dedicated to changing the world through the science of nursing. As part of the University of Pennsylvania, established in 1740 by Benjamin Franklin, Penn Nursing's mission is to provide care to change the world. For more information, see [ www.nursing.upenn.edu ].
About Eclipsys
Eclipsys is a leading provider of advanced integrated clinical, revenue cycle, and performance management software, clinical content and professional services that help healthcare organizations improve clinical, financial and operational outcomes. For more information, see [ www.eclipsys.com ] or email [ info@eclipsys.com ].
Statements in this news release concerning the timing of implementation and features of and benefits provided by Eclipsys software, evidence-based content and implementation and remote hosting services 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 Eclipsys software or 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-Q and 10-K 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. Other product and company names in this news release are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies.