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Seattle, WA and Dallas, TX (March 4, 2009) — OCS, Inc., coordinator of the Hospice Leaders Project (HLP), is pleased to announce that Homecare Homebase’s hospice solution now includes all of the Master Data List (MDL) data elements. This is a major milestone for the HLP, as its mission is to develop a standardized data set for all hospice agencies.

The Hospice Leaders Project is a collaboration of MIS Vendors, coordinated by OCS, working toward consistency of hospice data capture and ease of performance measurement and reporting. Through The Hospice Leaders Project, vendors will provide hospices with standard definitions, systems and guidance to capture and report valuable patient management data, facilitating performance improvement and participation in state, national, and private quality initiatives including the recently implemented conditions of participation (CoP) measures.

The MDL includes patient-level data elements necessary to complete all major national performance measurement initiatives in which hospices are being encouraged to participate. The complete MDL facilitates comprehensive organization-level QAPI and enables the patient-level QAPI requirements: data-driven development of the plan of care, evaluation of interventions, demonstration that patient goals are met, and documentation of patient safety issues.

“By implementing the MDL, Homecare Homebase is leading the way for standardized data information, collection and reporting for hospice agencies,” states Roger Herr, Senior Product Manager, Hospice at OCS. “This bold move sets a powerful example to the hospice industry and we anticipate other HLP members to follow.”

Holy Redeemer Health System, the largest provider of home care and hospice services in the Southeastern PA and New Jersey region, will be the first Homecare Homebase customer to implement components of the new MDL as part of their standard data collection set during patient visits for all of their hospice providers.

“The development of a QAPI plan that captures patient level data in a consistent and retrievable manner has always been a challenge for any hospice, regardless of program size and scope,” said Terre Mirsch, Vice President of Holy Redeemer Hospice Services for Holy Redeemer Health System. “We are excited about the inclusion of the MDL in the Homecare Homebase system and will begin using it immediately. We feel confident that the data collected at the point of care will provide meaningful information for analysis regarding patient outcomes and enable us to standardize protocols for superior care across our patient set. These added documentation requirements are critical to staff engagement in the performance improvement process and most importantly improving the quality of the patient experience.”

“It is important that hospices begin to utilize quality measures that are defined by the industry and implemented nationwide,” said Celeste Cummings, Senior Product Manager at Homecare Homebase. “By including a standard data collection set into the software we will enable them to consistently measure their progress against a defined benchmark and provide a meaningful tool for comparison against their peers. We have worked closely with OCS and our customers to ensure the data collection is consistent with hospice values and will meet the needs of the patients moving forward.”

“Providing meaningful data to our customers is one of the most important things we can do as a software provider, said Tom Maxwell, COO, Homecare Homebase. “Accurate, industry-defined data enables agencies to effectively analyze their performance and make changes that will allow them to provide the best care to patients and their families during this critical time. Incorporation of the MDL by all software vendors is absolutely essential for the  industry-wide acceptance of this practice and the establishment of a cohesive effort towards standardization.”

About the Hospice Leaders Project
The Hospice Leaders Project is comprised of leaders in Home Health and Hospice information systems, including: Allscripts-Misys Healthcare Solutions, Inc.; CareCentric, Inc.; Cerner, Inc.; Delta Health Technologies, LLC; Deyta, LLC; HealthWyse; Homecare Homebase, LP; McKesson Provider Technologies; Mills and Murphy Software Systems; mumms Software; OCS, Inc.; Patient Care Technologies; Procura LLC; Prodata, Inc. Progresa Health Systems; and Suncoast Solutions Inc.

About OCS
OCS is the market leader in healthcare information solutions. By collecting, evaluating and interpreting healthcare information, we empower leaders with data-driven insight that helps optimize decision making. OCS combines data warehouse capabilities with cutting-edge analysis tools, consulting services and custom technology solutions. Our information-based solutions facilitate providers, payors, analysts, consultants, Federal and state governments, medical products and pharmaceutical companies with advancing their missions using objective, independent information and leading edge concepts. Learn more at www.ocsys.com or call 888.325.3396.

About Homecare Homebase, LP.
Homecare Homebase is a privately held software development company headquartered in Dallas, Texas. Founded in 1999 by industry veterans, Homecare Homebase offers a comprehensive integrated web-based software solution to improve the clinical, operational and financial success of homecare and hospice agencies. Homecare Homebase enables real-time, wireless information exchange and communication between office staff, field staff and physicians; automates workflow processes; enables accurate billing through numerous integrated checks and balances; and, provides powerful management reporting via a back-office data analysis tool that ties together all agency operational information. Every aspect of the Homecare Homebase system was developed to be user-friendly, flexible and customizable to specific agency needs. For more information, visit our web site at www.hchb.com or contact us toll free at 1-866-535-HCHB (4242).