Eclipsys Corporation^® (NASDAQ:ECLP), The Outcomes Company^®, today announced that the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT^®) has classified Eclipsys' PeakPractice™ solution (version 1093) a conditionally CCHIT Certified^® 08 Ambulatory electronic health record (EHR) product, pending completion of advanced ePrescribing requirements, and the solution meets Certification Commission's EHR criteria for office-based use. Ambulatory EHRs are designed for physician offices and clinics where most American's obtain their healthcare. CCHIT – a private, nonprofit organization – is the recognized certification body in the United States for certifying health information technology products.

Eclipsys' PeakPractice is an integrated, award-winning, .NET-based ambulatory electronic medical record (EMR)/practice management (PM) solution that includes e-prescribing, patient kiosk, supply chain management, image management and Web portals for physicians and patients. The EMR/PM solution enables practices to gain full control over both sides of their business, focusing on the financial health and operational excellence while promoting highest-quality patient care. The solution is one aspect of Eclipsys' enterprise portfolio of offerings that support connecting community-based practices with acute-care hospital and healthcare systems.

"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 solutions help improve quality, safety and efficiency while protecting the privacy of health information."

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. CCHIT 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:

• 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 results.

As a CCHIT Certified product, PeakPractice has been tested and passed inspection of 100 percent of these new criteria.

"Offering a fully certified solution is going to enhance our ongoing efforts to help physicians coordinate care with peers and patients, better manage the practice and meet the 'meaningful use' stipulation necessary to receive stimulus incentives," said Tom Cooke, vice president and general manager of Eclipsys' Practice Solutions group. "We continue to win business based on our solution's great ease of use and customizability. We expect CCHIT certification will give our potential clients extra assurance in the selection process."

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 CCHIT

The Certification Commission for Health Information Technology (CCHIT^®) is a private, nonprofit organization that has been named by the federal government as the Recognized Certification Body for health information technology. Its mission is to accelerate the adoption of health information technology by creating a credible, sustainable certification program. The certification requirements are based on widely accepted industry standards and involve the work of hundreds of expert volunteers and input from a variety of stakeholders throughout the healthcare industry. More information on CCHIT and CCHIT Certified^® products is available at www.cchit.org and at www.ehrdecisions.com. "CCHIT^®" and "CCHIT Certified^®" are registered marks of the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology.