Erlanger Health System Selects PHNS for IT Services

DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--PHNS today announced that Erlanger Health System, a public non-profit, academic medical center in Chattanooga, Tennessee (Erlanger), has entered into an eight-year agreement to outsource its information technology (IT) department to PHNS. Erlanger selected PHNS after an extensive Request for Information process by Erlanger, with assistance from its independent consultant, HIMformatics, LLC, that began in the spring of 2007.

Erlanger’s decision to outsource its IT services came after a detailed assessment of its IT infrastructure and services by HIMformatics revealed a significant need to enhance and expand Erlanger’s IT resources and services in order to support Erlanger’s future IT requirements and operational growth.

“Information technology is critical to Erlanger’s operations and success,” stated Jim Brexler, president and CEO. “The most efficient way to reach our IT goals is through outsourcing, partnering with a company that brings the same expertise to IT that we bring to patient care. We selected PHNS because of their demonstrated ability in improving the depth and breadth of IT services at other hospitals. We look forward to working closely with PHNS to dramatically improve our IT services and capabilities.”

“PHNS is very pleased to have been selected by Erlanger and we’re excited about providing Erlanger with significantly enhanced IT services that will support Erlanger’s current and future strategic and operational IT imperatives,” said Chick Young, chairman and chief executive officer of PHNS.

About Erlanger: Erlanger Health System is a non-profit, academic medical center affiliated with the University of Tennessee College of Medicine, and is a Level-One Trauma Center for adults and, through T.C. Thompson Children’s Hospital, is also the region’s only pediatric hospital. Erlanger is the only provider of tertiary care services for a four-state region encompassing southeast Tennessee, north Georgia, north Alabama and western North Carolina. With a history that dates back more than a century, Erlanger is recognized as one of the nation's finest public hospitals and a leader in healthcare. Each year, more than a quarter of a million people are treated by the team of healthcare professionals who are part of Erlanger. See http://www.erlanger.org for additional information about Erlanger.

About PHNS: PHNS provides information technology (IT) services for hospitals, other healthcare providers and businesses. PHNS’ IT services include application hosting, co-location and managed services; electronic off-site data back-up and data vaulting; business continuity solutions; disaster recovery services; and systems integration services. PHNS also provides comprehensive business process solutions for hospitals including health information management (including medical record management and storage, transcription, coding, release of information and electronic medical record services), advisory and receivables management services. PHNS creates business-healthy hospitals by improving operations, enhancing technology and increasing cash on hand, which allows hospitals to focus on their core competency--patient care. PHNS has approximately 1,670 customers, including approximately 400 hospital IT and business process customers and approximately 1,270 IT customers. PHNS is headquartered in Dallas, Texas. See www.phns.com for additional information about PHNS.