SAN JOSE, Calif., November 14, 2011 – Today Cisco announced the general availability of the newest version ofCisco HealthPresence® technology, an advanced care-at-a-distance platform that connects patients and clinicians via high-definition video, audio, medical devices and collaboration tools. The updated solution provides new deployment options with enhanced security and efficiency capabilities to deliver patient care from a wider range of locations. Cisco HealthPresence also supports integrated workflow features to improve information exchange by increasing access to data such as electronic medical records.  

Saint Thomas Health, a family of hospitals based in Tennessee, is using Cisco HealthPresence to provide healthcare access to patients in areas where medical resources are scarce, while also helping to improve care delivery and outcomes. MissionPoint Health Partners, founded by Saint Thomas Health, is a new platform for healthcare delivery that brings doctors, nurses, hospitals and other care providers together to share the responsibility for keeping patients healthy. Cisco HealthPresence is key to helping MissionPoint Health Partners meet Accountable Care Organization standards set forth by the Department of Health and Human Services earlier this year.

Cisco HealthPresence also helps medical professionals provide care to patients in hard-to-reach areas. Doctors at Telerad RxDx, a multi-specialty hospital in Bangalore, India, have been using Cisco HealthPresence to provide medical care to patients living in Raichur, located in North Karnataka in India. Based on successful initial results, Telerad RxDx plans to increase deployment of Cisco's telehealth services to continue to improve healthcare delivery in remote locations.

Cisco HealthPresence works with medical diagnostic equipment, such as stethoscopes and otoscopes, to capture patient information, while also allowing patients to interactively discuss their conditions with their physicians remotely using Cisco HealthPresence's high-definition video and rich audio. In addition to connecting care teams and patients in rural communities, Cisco HealthPresence is also being utilized in urban environments to help doctors see more patients within a given session and facilitate training and information exchange between healthcare providers around the world.

Facts:

• The introduction of a new Cisco HealthPresence solution follows the recent launch of the Cisco TelePresence® VX Clinical Assistant, a lightweight, highly mobile telemedicine cart that allows for remote patient consultations, virtual care, education and collaboration.
• Cisco HealthPresence is classified as a Class I medical device by the FDAand is available in the United States, Europe, Mexico, Jordan, Australia and India.
• Updates to Cisco HealthPresence bring broader video endpoint support and interoperability for increased choice and convenience, including:
  • Mobile cart integration with the Cisco TelePresence System Clinical Presence to allow for specialist consults at the point of care;
  • Desktop solution to allow for telehealth consultations in remote locations with low bandwidth availability;
  • Interoperability between TelePresence supported endpoints (CTS 500-37, CTS EX 60/EX 90 and CTS C40/C20) for greater flexibility.
• Cisco HealthPresence offers improved collaboration and clinical workflow features, including