1-20-2004
New Study Shows PC Blades Increase Security and Reduce Operating Costs

Health Care Providers Become Less Cluttered and More Secure With ClearCube

Austin, TX (January 20, 2004) - ClearCube Technology, the pioneer and market leader in PC Blade computing, today announced the results of a total cost-of-ownership study of its PC Blades, conducted by Northwestern Memorial Physicians Group (NMPG). The study concludes that compared to traditional box PCs, the ClearCube architecture was the only way to deploy an electronic medical records solution in every exam room while increasing security, decreasing operating costs, and providing a higher level of patient care.

Based in Chicago, NMPG conducted a detailed study of implementing traditional box PCs in remote patient exam rooms and 12 clinics versus deploying the ClearCube PC Blade solution. Overall, the study found that in a four-year period, NMPG will save approximately $300,836 per 100 ClearCube PC Blades versus using traditional “box” PCs.

The study showed a 75 percent reduction in hours spent on help desk calls; a 76 percent reduction in IT support hours; a 50 percent reduction in hours spent on moving, adding or changing workstations; and a 69 percent decrease in user downtime.

In addition to the cost savings, NMPG will benefit from a highly secure system that simplifies IT management, while providing full PC performance that enables NMPG to provide the best possible patient care. NMPG has deployed ClearCube PC Blades in 12 sites and plans to add more in 2004.

The ClearCube solution removes the PC from the user’s desk, shrinks it into a PC Blade, and centralizes it in a secure location. Only the peripherals and user port remain in the exam room. The ClearCube Management Suite provides IT managers with the ability to trouble shoot without having to enter patient exam rooms.

“We deployed the ClearCube solution over a year ago and the numbers speak for themselves,” said Guy Fuller, IT manager at Northwestern Memorial Physicians Group. “Without ClearCube we would not have been able to deploy a PC in exam room from space limitations alone. In addition ClearCube allows us to manage PC without having IT staffs at every clinic, secure patient information and eliminate the fans that can spread contaminants in the exam rooms.”

Specific findings from the study found that:

  • Hours spent on help desk calls went from 240 hours to 60 hours;
  • IT support hours decreased from 180 hours to 43 hours;
  • Hours spent moving, adding or changing PCs were halved from 100 to 50; and
  • User downtime were cut from 280 hours to 87 hours.

“Healthcare organizations looking to deploy a PC solution have to overcome tight space constraints, an unyielding IT budget and heightened security requirements for HIPAA. ClearCube is the only solution to address those concerns,” said Raj Shah, chief marketing officer of ClearCube Technology. “The results of the NMPG study illustrate the breadth of benefits the ClearCube solution provides for healthcare organizations.”

Other leading healthcare providers such as Edward Hospital, the Medical Center of Central Georgia, Oklahoma Heart Hospital, Barton Healthcare, Cambridge Health Alliance and Hill Air Force Base Medical Group are also ClearCube PC Blade users.

About ClearCube Technology
ClearCube Technology is the market leader in PC Blade computing solutions. ClearCube enables customers to reduce their support costs while dramatically improving availability and security throughout their end-user computing infrastructure. For more information, visit www.clearcube.com.

For further information, please contact:

Ken Knotts
ClearCube Technology
512.652.3425
ken@clearcube.com

Maureen Robusto
Weber Shandwick for ClearCube Technology
617-520-7262
mrobusto@webershandwick.com