Operations and Business Environment - Fresenius Medical Care

Clinical Databases
Clinical databases such as EuCliD (European Clinical
Database) are an important instrument for ensuring
the quality of dialysis treatment. Firstly, we can record
treatment data of dialysis patients, and secondly,
EuCliD allows us to efficiently compare the treatment
quality of individual dialysis clinics. Potential weak
points can be more readily identified and, if necessary,
counteractive measures can be applied instantly. EuCliD
is therefore a significant component of our integrated
quality management system and also assists nephrologists
in providing comprehensive patient care.
In 2006, more than 280 dialysis clinics added their information
to this system. The database now contains
information on about 24,000 dialysis patients. This
represents about 85 % of our European dialysis clinics
compared to about 80 % the year before. Furthermore,
we implemented a new version of the EuCliD software
for the documentation and analysis of treatment parameters,
as well as improved monitoring of administration
of dialysis drugs.
This electronic system is expected to increase clinical
and billing productivity, enhance clinical outcomes,
reduce hospitalizations and make clinical workflows
more adaptable to changes in regulatory requirements.
From a data perspective, it improves our capability to
analyze treatment quality and provides easier access
to information for our caregivers and physicians.
In the year under review, infrastructural aspects of the
system such as networking (including wireless capabilities
for qualifying clinics) have been phased in to over
one thousand clinics. A touch-screen-based point-ofcare
system has been successfully piloted and rolled
out to over seventy clinics. Also owing to the acquisition
of the Renal Care Group we successfully integrated
these clinics into our information systems architecture.
Following the integration of the additional RCG,
the full system roll-out within the consolidated company
is expected to be completed in 2009.
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We are also in the process of introducing a significantly
upgraded clinical and billing system in the U.S. This is a
Web-enabled system that uses workflow technologies
for process control and embedded analytics to provide
advanced reporting capabilities. The system provides
point-of-care capabilities to our physicians and clinical
staff, reduces our dependency on paperand uses workflow
technologies to monitor and instruct the execution
of billing and clinical processes, escalating variances
to supervisors.
Fresenius Medical Care 2006