Progresa Health Systems Joins The Hospice Leaders Project

Seattle, WA, 11/10/2008—OCS announces that Progresa Health Systems, a division of Procura, and a leader in developing and marketing information systems solutions for hospice programs headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah, has joined The Hospice Leaders Project. This voluntary program expedites the adoption of meaningful performance comparisons in the hospice market. With its membership in this initiative, Progresa joins a consortium of industry information and technology leaders.

The Hospice Leaders Project supports and draws input from national efforts to formalize hospice quality management, leveraging the vast experience of participating organizations and their thousands of hospice clients. The proposed Medicare Quality Assessment and Performance Improvement (QAPI) Conditions of Participation requires data-driven improvement, but does not specify performance measures. Several national and state-sponsored organizations are promoting frameworks for hospice quality and defining measures, including the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), National Quality Forum (NQF), American Hospice Foundation, the National Association for Homecare and Hospice (NAHC) and the CMS-funded Carolinas Center for Medical Excellence. The Hospice Leaders Project will expedite standardized data collection and reporting for hospice agencies, enhancing the impact of all of these diverse programs.

Through The Hospice Leaders Project, vendors will provide hospices with standard definitions, systems and guidance to capture and report valuable patient management data, facilitating performance improvement and participation in state, national, and private quality initiatives. This program is being coordinated by OCS, Inc. Organizations interested in joining the project are encouraged to contact OCS.

"Progresa Health System's addition to the Hospice Leaders Project will accelerate the ability of all members to provide standardized data information, collection and reporting to hospice agencies," states Roger Herr, Senior Product Manager, Hospice at OCS. "The collaborative effort across vendors allows us to provide hospices with the data, tools and guidance needed to participate in initiatives focused on quality initiatives."

"With QAPI CoP compliance required by early 2009, becoming members of the Hospice Leaders Project is an important step in ensuring that our clients have the tools and knowledge they need to be complaint while continuing to provide compassionate care," states Warren Brown, President of Procura. "We look forward to contributing to the adoption of standard performance measures in hospice."

About the Hospice Leaders Project
The Hospice Leaders Project is comprised of leaders in Home Health and Hospice information systems, including CareCentric, Inc.; Cerner, Inc.; Delta Health Technologies, LLC; Deyta, LLC; HealthWyse; Homecare Homebase; McKesson Provider Technologies; Mills and Murphy Software Systems; Misys Healthcare Systems; mumms Software; OCS, Inc.; Patient Care Technologies; Procura LLC; Prodata, Inc. and Suncoast Solutions Inc.

About OCS
OCS is the market leader in healthcare information solutions. By collecting, evaluating and interpreting healthcare information, we empower leaders with data-driven insight that helps optimize mission-critical decision making. OCS combines the richness of the nation's most comprehensive post-acute data warehouse with cutting-edge analysis tools, consulting services and custom technology solutions. Our information-based solutions facilitate providers, payors, industry analysts, consultants, Federal and state governments, medical products and pharmaceutical companies with advancing their missions using objective, independent information that is not available from other sources. Learn more at www.ocsys.com or call 888.325.3396.

For further information about Progresa Health Systems, please contact Sales and Marketing, at 1.888.338.6444 or via email at USSales@ProgresaHealthSystems.com.