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Company Contributions to Hurricane Charley Relief Efforts Help Get Punta Gorda Hospital ER to Open Again Quickly

September 9, 2004

PUNTA GORDA, FL- SCC Soft Computer, a Palm Harbor, Florida clinical and workflow software information vendor, donated manpower and technical expertise, and loaned equipment to allow Charlotte Regional Medical Center’s temporary ER to open complete with laboratory services after damage from hurricane Charley shut down the hospital’s permanent ER. Within days of the catastrophic storm, the employees and corporate management of SCC Soft Computer collected and contributed $5400.00 to the Tampa Bay branch of the American Red Cross “in honor” of Charlotte Regional Medical Center to help disaster relief victims of the hurricane torn region.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) set up MASH style tents across the street from the hospital to serve as a temporary emergency room. Within 168 hours of the storm, the medical center had restored its emergency facilities. “It was a pretty devastating situation; the road signs were down and if it wasn’t for Tomasz Wojtulewski and SCC, we (lab services) wouldn’t be up and running at all,” states Bob Kearns, Health Management Associates Inc. (HMA) LIS Installation and Support Specialist (a corporate employee of Charlotte Regional Medical Center). Tomasz, a five-year employee of SCC, personally drove to the Punta Gorda hospital on Wednesday morning to expedite the hardware conversion with the HMA official. The team worked for two full days setting up the temporary Xyplex server to ten instruments, seven terminals, seven printers and four modems.

The laboratory and its laboratory information system (LIS) software is a crucial component to Medical Center’s ER operations. “SCC Soft Computer was so cordial in providing their services instantaneously,” Kearns said. “If they hadn’t, we couldn’t have done it at all. As an HMA facility, we have 3 systems that have to run simultaneously. The LIS gets lab results back to the ER. These reports need to be functioning so we can treat and release our patients in a timely manner.” Currently, only Charlotte Regional Medical Center’s ER is open for business. Kearns and HMA officials project the hospital repairs will be completed and the hospital reopening will be mid-October.

“This is an extension of our service; this is the least that we could do as a partner and a vendor delivering services,” says Jean Hakim, President of SCC Soft Computer. “We fully understand that turn around time for our clients is critical. If at 7:00am the lab results are not distributed, that can be disastrous for physicians and patients.” Hakim continues, “At times of need like this, hospitals can differentiate between suppliers that provide them with excellent services and ones that supply merely good services.”

Concurrently, SCC Soft Computer employees, concerned about Charlotte Regional and the surrounding devastation, began an internal effort to raise funds for relief. As a goodwill gesture, the company’s executive management made the offer to match collected employee funds. “Our employees immediately mobilized out of their concern,” notes Mr. Hakim. “The key to making a difference is universal participation,” he goes on to explain. “If every company or organization would participate based on their ability; those contributions, however large or small, ultimately add up to provide an ocean of comfort to those in need.” On August 27, SCC presented the American Red Cross, Tampa Bay Chapter, with a cash donation of $5400.00 in honor of Charlotte Regional Medical Center. The American Red Cross will distribute funds to Charlotte County hurricane victims on a “priority need” basis.

Charlotte Regional Medical Center was founded in 1947 as a 12-bed hospital. It has since evolved into a 208-bed acute care facility serving the needs of Charlotte County, Florida. Specialized services include heart surgery and comprehensive cardiac care. As a client of SCC Soft Computer since 1998, Charlotte Regional Medical Center has optimized its laboratories with SCC’s clinical information management products including SoftLab (laboratory), SoftPath® (anatomic pathology), SoftMic® (microbiology), and SoftBank®II (blood transfusion management).

SCC Soft Computer is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year. From its humble beginnings in 1979, SCC Soft Computer has been meeting the needs of the Healthcare Industry by providing powerful, best-of-breed clinical information solutions to hospitals and laboratories. For more information about SCC Soft Computer, contact Ellie Vahman at (727) 789-0100 x4052 or ellie@softcomputer.com.

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