Mass. Eye and Ear selected McKesson after a rigorous and highly competitive six-month evaluation process. The goal is to create an integrated technology platform that supports advanced clinical systems while removing the inefficiencies and costs associated with a highly interfaced system environment.

“We needed a comprehensive solution that could support our clinical excellence and patient safety initiatives while also enabling us to operate more efficiently and better manage our financial performance,” said John Fernandez, Mass. Eye and Ear’s president and chief executive officer.

McKesson’s Paragon HIS solution, for the second consecutive year, was named Best in KLAS in the community hospital information system category in the Top 20: 2007 Year-End Best in KLAS report issued by KLAS Enterprises, LLC1. The system uses industry-standard, Microsoft® software2, which protects an organization's ongoing investment and makes the operating system familiar to virtually all computer users.

Plans call for Mass. Eye and Ear to implement the Paragon solution in an accelerated method, bringing up the revenue cycle, financial, supply chain, clinical and operating room management applications simultaneously rather than in the traditional linear fashion. The second phase of the initiative will focus on nursing assessment and care plan tools. In combination, these solutions will support improved system efficiency while giving the entire Infirmary care team immediate access to accurate patient information.

“We are pleased that Mass. Eye and Ear sees Paragon as the right choice for achieving financial and clinical performance excellence,” said Duncan James, group president, Health Systems, McKesson Provider Technologies. “We designed Paragon to help healthcare providers to create the best environment for care. But, just as important, we created a rich solution of integrated products that makes adoption of advanced technology affordable and practical for clinics and community hospitals. We look forward to a very a long-lasting partnership with the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary.”

About Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary

Located in Boston, Massachusetts, the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary is an independent specialty hospital founded in 1824. Mass. Eye and Ear has earned an international reputation for its successful treatment of the most difficult diseases and conditions of the eye, ear, nose, throat, head and neck, and for its outstanding contributions to medical research and education. Mass. Eye and Ear is the primary teaching hospital for Harvard Medical School in ophthalmology and otolaryngology, and trains more than 110 residents and fellows each year in various sub-specialties, including cornea, neuro-ophthalmology, retina, eye pathology, pediatrics, glaucoma, ocular oncology, immunology, head and neck surgery and oncology, pediatric otolaryngology, facial plastics, otology and oto-neurology. For more information, visit http://www.meei.harvard.edu.

About McKesson

McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 18th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and healthcare information technology company dedicated to helping its customers deliver high-quality healthcare by reducing costs, streamlining processes, and improving the quality and safety of patient care. McKesson is the longest-operating company in healthcare today, marking its 175th anniversary this year. Over the course of its history, McKesson has grown by providing pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management across the spectrum of care; healthcare information technology for hospitals, physicians, homecare and payors; hospital and retail pharmacy automation; and services for manufacturers and payors designed to improve outcomes for patients. For more information, visit http://www.mckesson.com.