BloodCenter of Wisconsin to implement Mediware’s suite of blood center products to improve efficiency from donor recruitment to hospital distribution.
LENEXA, Kan., April 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Mediware Information Systems (NASDAQ:MEDW) , a provider of ClosedLoop(TM) clinical systems for blood and medication management, announced today that BloodCenter of Wisconsin will implement Mediware’s suite of blood center software products. The suite of products will deliver the first integrated software solution for blood centers that improves collections and efficiency throughout the entire process from blood donor recruitment to hospital distribution. The integrated environment leverages Mediware’s proven LifeTrak(R) donor management software and the powerful new technologies made available when Mediware purchased Integrated Marketing Solutions (IMS) in November 2007.
“BloodCenter of Wisconsin is one of the most respected independent blood centers in the country,” said Kelly Mann, president and chief executive officer of Mediware. “We are very pleased they have chosen us as their technology partner and that they are receptive to our vision to streamline blood center operations.”
BloodCenter of Wisconsin is well known in the industry for its collective contributions to the blood supply as well as for the scientific research it performs. It has 11 donor centers throughout Wisconsin, employs more than 800 people and distributes over 220,000 units of blood and blood components annually. The organization also operates the Blood Research Institute where more than 90 world-class scientists and technicians diligently work to find treatments and cures for bleeding and clotting disorders as well as heart disease, stroke and cancer.
“We have a strong relationship with Mediware, and we are excited to be on the forefront of this exciting new vision,” said Jackie Fredrick, BloodCenter of Wisconsin’s President and Chief Executive Officer. “We have used LifeTrak to manage the clinical aspects of our blood center for about 6 years. With the addition of the dynamic capabilities brought forward by the IMS acquisition, we will be positioned to more effectively meet the needs of our hospital and community partners.”
Mediware has more than 65 facilities using its LifeTrak donor management software to collect and test approximately 26% of the nation’s blood supply. In November, the Company acquired IMS and began integrating IMS’ powerful, web-based software with its existing clinical products to enable customers to dramatically improve donor recruitment and retention; drive coordinator loyalty and productivity; collection staff customer service and hospital order management.
“The addition of these new relationship-oriented technologies to Mediware’s clinical capabilities creates a compelling vision and opens us to new levels of efficiency,” said Janet Slater, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Business Development for BloodCenter of Wisconsin. “We will be able to more effectively recruit and retain donors, improve customer service and build better relationships with our hospital partners. Our partnership with Mediware assists us with providing our hospital customers access to the blood supplies they need.”
Mediware has long been a leader in the clinical systems supporting blood management in independent blood centers and hospital transfusion centers. This includes many of the largest blood collection organizations and the most respected hospitals in the country.
Since the acquisition of IMS, Mediware has been aggressively integrating software and capabilities to streamline the effectiveness of blood centers, from donor recruitment, the clinical laboratory, to hospital management. With the addition of the IMS components, customers now have a powerful combination of robust clinical capabilities with modern and effective CRM technologies that enable blood centers to improve the effectiveness of coordinated blood drive campaigns while still meeting the strict FDA regulations for safe blood management.
“Our vision for better blood management is to create a single technology environment that seamlessly facilitates the entire blood process — from the identification, recruitment and retention of donors; through the preparation and distribution of blood products; to improved inventory management and the safe transfusion of blood products in hospitals,” said John Damgaard, Mediware’s senior vice president and chief operating officer. “We are ecstatic that one of the most respected blood centers in the country is adopting this new approach.”
With the combination of IMS and Mediware customers, it is estimated that well over 50% of the blood supply in the United States is managed by Mediware technology, either at collection, testing or hospital transfusion.
About Mediware
Mediware delivers blood and medication management software systems that encapsulate information supporting patient therapies, reinforce patient safety practices and improve efficiencies to lower costs. Mediware’s customers include prestigious hospitals, clinics, correctional institutions, blood centers and other public and private health care institutions throughout the world. For more information about Mediware products and services, visit our web site at http://www.mediware.com/.
Certain statements in this press release may constitute “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as the same may be amended from time to time (the “Act”) and in releases made by the SEC from time to time. Such forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2007, which may cause the actual results of the Company to be materially different from any future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company disclaims any obligation to update its forward-looking statements. 4/1/08
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CONTACT: John Van Blaricum, +1-913-307-1017, for Mediware Information
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