EICU Visicu (MM)

VISICU Inc., (NASDAQ:EICU), the leading healthcare information technology and clinical solutions company focused on critical care, announced today that Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines, Iowa and Mercy Medical Center Sioux City have signed an agreement to implement the first eICU� programs in Iowa. The hospitals are members of Mercy Health Network (MHN) - an Iowa based integrated system of 11 member hospitals and 26 affiliate hospitals. Initially, Mercy Health Network plans to provide the eICU�s remote monitoring capabilities to its member hospitals in Des Moines and Sioux City. The eICU system is expected to directly benefit hospitals in 16 rural communities affiliated with Mercy Des Moines and Mercy Sioux City�s rural community hospitals that it manages or owns. Mercy Sioux City provides medical services in the tri-state area of Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota. The eICU system at Mercy Medical Center � Des Moines, a 917-bed acute care facility, will be operational in late 2007 with the first 54 critical care beds equipped with advanced eICU technology. This will allow intensive care physicians the ability to remotely monitor critically ill patients in multiple intensive care units across the state. Dr. David Kapaska, Vice President of Medical Affairs at Mercy Medical Center � Des Moines says �Sometimes the care that best meets a patient and their family�s needs is delivered close to home. With eICU, patients can have access to an additional team of specialists and experts in critical care medicine in their own local hospital. By using this leading edge technology, patients will be monitored every minute of the day in support of their bedside team. Closer observation leads to quicker recognition and response to changing patient needs. This means improved outcomes for patients in both rural and urban facilities. With eICU we will be able to offer this critical care service throughout Iowa.� Both facilities will employ VISICU�s latest technology release featuring an integral nursing documentation system and two-way video for improved efficiency and workflow between the ICU bedside team and the eICU support team. eCareMobile� will also be used to extend eICU connectivity for rapid response to any room within the hospital. �As flagship facilities for Iowa, Mercy Medical Center - Des Moines and Mercy Medical Center - Sioux City�s operational philosophies and quality goals make them ideal partners for VISICU,� said Frank T. Sample, VISICU chairman and chief operating officer. �They will be utilizing state-of-the-art technology and processes that will increase access to specialists in Des Moines, Sioux City and their surrounding areas.� About VISICU VISICU, Inc. (NASDAQ:EICU) is a healthcare information technology and clinical solutions company focused on transforming the delivery of critical care through its eICU� Program. Through remote monitoring technology and clinical intelligence, experienced critical care resources are leveraged to provide coverage and early intervention for safer, more effective patient care. Currently more than 180 hospitals serving over 250,000 patients annually have partnered with VISICU to implement eICU programs. More information is available at www.VISICU.com. VISICU� and eICU� are registered trademarks of VISICU, Inc. All rights reserved. visicu-g About Mercy Medical Center � Des Moines, Mercy Medical Center � Sioux City and Mercy Health Network Mercy Medical Center - Des Moines is a JCAHO-accredited 917-bed acute care, not-for-profit Catholic hospital located on three campuses, with 40 clinics and a 16-hospital rural network. The Mercy corporation includes nine wholly-owned subsidiaries. Mercy has 800 physicians on staff and employs 6,600 people. Mercy�s centers of excellence include: heart, cancer, birthing and pediatrics services, emergency/trauma services including Mercy One air ambulance, medical imaging, critical care, neurology, orthopedics, behavioral medicine, telemedicine and more. Mercy Medical Center � Sioux City meets the needs of Siouxlanders in a 33 county area. Mercy serves as the designated trauma center for the region and provides a vital, lifesaving link to rural areas via Mercy Air Care helicopter ambulance service. Mercy Sioux City has 275 physicians on staff and employs over 2,000 people. Mercy Sioux City also provides a full range of comprehensive medical services including the Heart Center, a newly constructed skilled care unit, CARF-accredited inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation, and the latest in family-centered obstetrics. Mercy Health Network (MHN) was founded in 1998 under a joint agreement between two of the largest Catholic, not-for-profit health organizations in the United States � Denver-based Catholic Health Initiatives and Trinity Health of Novi, Michigan. MHN is an integrated system of member hospitals and other health and patient care facilities�united into one operating organization to improve the delivery of health care services to the people of Iowa and surrounding communities. MHN was created to add value to participating organizations and communities by� reducing costs, improving the quality of health care, increasing accessibility to care and enhancing services to patients and their families.