McKesson's Paragon rated Best in KLAS seventh consecutive year

ATLANTA, Jan. 8, 2013 — For the seventh straight year, McKesson’s Paragon hospital information system (HIS) was named Best in KLAS Community Hospital Information System[1] in the 2012 Best in KLAS Awards: Software & Services report. Paragon’s seven years in the No. 1 spot mark the most successive times that any product has earned Best in KLAS in this category.

The report also rates Paragon No. 2 in overall software suite rankings for the second consecutive year, a reflection of its continuing evolution into the large hospital market. Continued growth and momentum in 2012 enabled Paragon to add 50 new hospitals, 20 of which were over 200 beds.

“We chose to implement Paragon based on factors such as integration, the familiar Microsoft platform, and the overall breadth of functionality,” said Bill Winnenberg, chief information officer, with St. Charles Health System, a 360-bed system based in Bend, Ore. “The Best in KLAS ranking is reassurance that we made the right decision for our organization as we prepare to address the challenges of healthcare reform.”

With its contemporary, Microsoft-based platform, Paragon is an integrated clinical and financial hospital information system designed to help meet the needs of hospitals and health systems of all sizes.   As a single-database solution, Paragon HIS requires less hardware and fewer IT resources, and it helps hospitals reduce the need to support and manage redundant data. In addition, Paragon gives physicians a single point of access to patient information and ordering capabilities. The solution offers a rapid time to value through its quick implementation process. On average, organizations take 14 months to implement the broad suite of financial, clinical and physician solutions.

By enabling organizations to streamline their IT operations and optimize their technology investment, Paragon is a strong lever in preparing for health reform, a key focus of McKesson’s Better Health 2020 strategy. Better Health 2020 aims to help customers address the complex challenges facing healthcare, including the need to reduce costs, coordinate care, assume risk and manage complex payment models.

“McKesson is dedicated to helping our hospital and health system partners make meaningful improvements for better business and better patient care,” said Jim Pesce, president of Paragon, McKesson Provider Technologies. “We are pleased that KLAS has recognized Paragon once again as the No. 1 HIS, and we believe these ratings are a testament to our focus on innovation and customer service.”

The annual KLAS rankings are based on interviews with healthcare executives, managers and clinicians at more than 4,500 hospitals and 2,500 clinics. Measuring performance in product quality, implementation and support, the Best in KLAS honor recognizes leadership in delivering excellence in customer service.