Mercy Health Network Selects VISICU eICU(R) Program

  
    
  
  
    
      VISICU Inc., (NASDAQ:EICU), the leading healthcare information 
      technology and clinical solutions company focused on critical care, 
      announced today that Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa and Mercy 
      Medical Center Sioux City have signed an agreement to implement the 
      first eICU® 
      programs in Iowa. The hospitals are members of Mercy Health Network 
      (MHN) - an Iowa based integrated system of 11 member hospitals and 26 
      affiliate hospitals. Initially, Mercy Health Network plans to provide 
      the eICU’s remote monitoring 
      capabilities to its member hospitals in Des Moines and Sioux City.
    
    
      The eICU system is expected to directly benefit hospitals in 16 
      rural communities affiliated with Mercy Des Moines and Mercy Sioux City’s 
      rural community hospitals that it manages or owns. Mercy Sioux City 
      provides medical services in the tri-state area of Iowa, Nebraska and 
      South Dakota.
    
    
      The eICU system at Mercy Medical Center – 
      Des Moines, a 917-bed acute care facility, will be operational in late 
      2007 with the first 54 critical care beds equipped with advanced eICU 
      technology. This will allow intensive care physicians the ability to 
      remotely monitor critically ill patients in multiple intensive care 
      units across the state.
    
    
      Dr. David Kapaska, Vice President of Medical Affairs at Mercy Medical 
      Center – Des Moines says “Sometimes 
      the care that best meets a patient and their family’s 
      needs is delivered close to home. With eICU, patients can have 
      access to an additional team of specialists and experts in critical care 
      medicine in their own local hospital. By using this leading edge 
      technology, patients will be monitored every minute of the day in 
      support of their bedside team. Closer observation leads to quicker 
      recognition and response to changing patient needs. This means improved 
      outcomes for patients in both rural and urban facilities. With eICU 
      we will be able to offer this critical care service throughout Iowa.”
    
    
      Both facilities will employ VISICU’s latest 
      technology release featuring an integral nursing documentation system 
      and two-way video for improved efficiency and workflow between the ICU 
      bedside team and the eICU support team. eCareMobile™ 
      will also be used to extend eICU connectivity for rapid response 
      to any room within the hospital.
    
    
      “As flagship facilities for Iowa, Mercy 
      Medical Center - Des Moines and Mercy Medical Center - Sioux City’s 
      operational philosophies and quality goals make them ideal partners for 
      VISICU,” said Frank T. Sample, VISICU 
      chairman and chief operating officer. “They 
      will be utilizing state-of-the-art technology and processes that will 
      increase access to specialists in Des Moines, Sioux City and their 
      surrounding areas.”
    
    
      About VISICU
    
    
      VISICU, Inc. (NASDAQ:EICU) is a healthcare information technology and 
      clinical solutions company focused on transforming the delivery of 
      critical care through its eICU® 
      Program. Through remote monitoring technology and clinical intelligence, 
      experienced critical care resources are leveraged to provide coverage 
      and early intervention for safer, more effective patient care. Currently 
      more than 180 hospitals serving over 250,000 patients annually have 
      partnered with VISICU to implement eICU programs. More information is 
      available at www.VISICU.com. VISICU® 
      and eICU® are 
      registered trademarks of VISICU, Inc. All rights reserved. visicu-g
    
    
      About Mercy Medical Center – Des Moines, 
      Mercy Medical Center – Sioux City and Mercy 
      Health Network
    
    
      Mercy Medical Center - Des Moines is a JCAHO-accredited 917-bed acute 
      care, not-for-profit Catholic hospital located on three campuses, with 
      40 clinics and a 16-hospital rural network. The Mercy corporation 
      includes nine wholly-owned subsidiaries. Mercy has 800 physicians on 
      staff and employs 6,600 people. Mercy’s 
      centers of excellence include: heart, cancer, birthing and pediatrics 
      services, emergency/trauma services including Mercy One air ambulance, 
      medical imaging, critical care, neurology, orthopedics, behavioral 
      medicine, telemedicine and more.
    
    
      Mercy Medical Center – Sioux City meets the 
      needs of Siouxlanders in a 33 county area. Mercy serves as the 
      designated trauma center for the region and provides a vital, lifesaving 
      link to rural areas via Mercy Air Care helicopter ambulance service. 
      Mercy Sioux City has 275 physicians on staff and employs over 2,000 
      people. Mercy Sioux City also provides a full range of comprehensive 
      medical services including the Heart Center, a newly constructed skilled 
      care unit, CARF-accredited inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, and 
      the latest in family-centered obstetrics.
    
    
      Mercy Health Network (MHN) was founded in 1998 under a joint agreement 
      between two of the largest Catholic, not-for-profit health organizations 
      in the United States – Denver-based Catholic 
      Health Initiatives and Trinity Health of Novi, Michigan. MHN is an 
      integrated system of member hospitals and other health and patient care 
      facilities—united into one operating 
      organization to improve the delivery of health care services to the 
      people of Iowa and surrounding communities. MHN was created to add value 
      to participating organizations and communities by— 
      reducing costs, improving the quality of health care, increasing 
      accessibility to care and enhancing services to patients and their 
      families.