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Continuum Redefines the Model of Full Service Family Medicine in B.C. using Wolf Electronic Medical Record Software

High performance medical facility celebrates one year of success delivering enhanced patient care to more than 30,000 patients in North and West Vancouver

Vancouver, BC – May 9 – 2006 - Wolf Medical Systems, a leading provider of electronic medical records (EMR) software across Canada, today announced that Continuum Medical Care, an innovative medical facility offering a wide range of public and private healthcare services, has implemented EMR software from Wolf. Continuum is using Wolf EMR on Tablet PCs to bring together more than thirty family physicians and specialists from disparate locations to deliver a high level of continuous medical care to 30,000 patients in North and West Vancouver.

Continuum Medical Care offers access to a comprehensive range of public and private healthcare services in a state-of-the-art 6,500 square foot medical facility in West Vancouver, B.C.; established in 2005, Continuum is the largest medical practice on the North Shore. Continuum’s ‘Public Plus’ philosophy aims to offer patients all the benefits of the public health care system with the option to complement their current public healthcare coverage with services not covered by the medical services plan, such as corporate and advanced preventative examinations, travel medicine and cast services, cosmetic services and non-MSP funded diagnostic testing.
From prevention to diagnosis and treatment, from general practitioners to specialists, from public to private systems, Continuum has assembled a group of dedicated and highly experienced medical practitioners and services together in a single location to provide seamless access to medical services. Key to Continuum’s success delivering continuous care to more than 30,000 patients is the ability to track, monitor and manage patients’ clinical information using Wolf EMR software.

“Our model utilized private funding and succeeded in the goals which our health authority is trying to achieve,” said Dr. Bryce Kelpin, medical director, Continuum Medical Care. “Namely we brought a geographically disparate group of physicians together, moved many of them from paper-based to electronic charting, coordinated 24/7 medical longitudinal care for patients of all ages and medical conditions, and integrated that care with allied health care providers and the greater medical community. Most importantly, and something that has not been demonstrated in other models, we are able to sustain our medical practice in the current fee-for-service system. EMR has been essential to our success, giving us the ability to more effectively manage our practice, better utilize space, and relieve physicians of cumbersome administrative duties so that they are free to practice medicine and deliver enhanced care to their patients.”

Wolf’s EMR software also delivers safety-related benefits. With widely varying charting styles and large volumes of information stored within paper charts, it was critical that information such as allergies, medical problems, current medications and recent visits be presented in a standardardized way – especially when bringing a large group of doctors together in one location. Using Wolf, Continuum physicians and specialists can easily review patient information, work from standardized medical records and charts and type prescriptions to reduce errors in pharmacies as a result of the challenges of deciphering physician handwriting. Wolf EMR is also integrated with Cerner Multum, the drug interaction database, which ensures no adverse drug interactions and ultimately the safe prescription of patient medications, regardless of the prescribing doctor.

In addition, Wolf is helping improve the efficiency of many routine tasks. For example, for patients with complex medical conditions and extensive drug history, it takes just seconds to prepare a complete patient history to share with other medical practitioners who may be involved in the patient’s care, a routine task that used to take up to 30 minutes with paper charts with no guarantees of completeness. With data entered once, it’s readily available for all other practitioners’ needs. And with electronic lab results right inside the patient record it’s much easier to access and compare results over time, not to mention that lab results, once available, are automatically delivered to the patient record.

According to Dr. Joanne Larsen, general practitioner, Continuum, “Wolf EMR brings tremendous value to Continuum, especially in terms of efficiency gains and patient safety. With Wolf, I have immediate access to patient records, recent visits, lab results and allergy and medication information, allowing me to make informed decisions on medical care without searching through paper charts that can often be illegible. EMR is powerful for me as a physician, and it’s especially powerful for my patients to see their own data and to see how their conditions are changing in response to treatment plans. It’s inspiring and motivating for doctors, and for patients.”
According to Dr. Brendan Byrne, president and founder of Wolf Medical Systems, “Continuum is a perfect example of medical practice committed to the model of ‘High Performance Medicine’ with its focus on delivering patient-centric, high-quality, coordinated healthcare. The Continuum team has raised the bar for full service medical care in British Columbia and we are delighted to be a part of its innovative business model. The Wolf team congratulates Continuum on one year of success in North and West Vancouver.”

To learn more about Continuum Medical Care, visit www.cmcare.ca/

About Wolf Medical Systems

Wolf Medical Systems is a leading national provider of electronic medical records (EMR) software for physician offices and medical clinics across Canada. Founded in 1998, the company has more than 325 installed sites in Canada and more than 1100 physician users nationwide. Wolf's EMR software includes a complete set of physician-designed applications that automate the unique processes of billing, scheduling, workflow planning and clinical practice for physician offices and medical clinics within the context of each province's unique regulatory environments. Wolf software works the way physicians and medical personnel work, helping them automate manual processes, reduce costs, increase productivity and efficiency, and improve the quality of patient care.Wolf is committed to elevating the standard for patient care in Canada through the adoption of EMR. For more information on Wolf Medical Systems, visit www.wolfmedical.com.

Media Contact:
Alexandra Best
Director of Marketing
Email: media@wolfmedical.com
Tel: 1.604.512-3313

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