News and Events

Texas Tissue Bank to Convert All Implant Tracking
to IMS ReadyTracker® - Tissue

AUSTIN, TX – January 12, 2012 - Under a new agreement, The Blood and Tissue Center of Central Texas will track all of its implantable tissue allografts with IMS’ ReadyTracker-Tissue, a leading web-based application for tracking biologic and non-biologic implants.

For the 48 hospitals and surgery centers that receive tissue from the Tissue Center, the agreement means access to an automated tissue management system, providing them the ability to order, receive and manage their tissue inventory seamlessly via ReadyTracker-Tissue's new distribution module. For the Tissue Center, automation and bar code tracking features will save hundreds of staff hours previously spent entering data and transferring it among separate manual and automated tracking systems.

Each year, the Blood and Tissue Center of Central Texas, a not-for-profit organization, works with hundreds of families who generously donate their loved-ones' tissue for transplant. Additionally, the organization works with hospitals and surgeons who pass on these gifts to local recipients in need of these life-saving grafts. "To honor the gifts of donation, our organization strives to continuously improve in providing services applicable to hospital standards. IMS' ReadyTracker-Tissue will be a valuable component to serving our community" said Sarah Lopez, Distribution Services Manager for the Tissue Center.

"In hospitals, ReadyTracker-Tissue has already set the standard for tracking tissue and implantable devices," said Whitney Ligon, director of corporate software for IMS. The application's new distributor module will automate processes from the supplier side and enable inventory order, receipt and usage data to flow seamlessly between the two. Not only does this save the facility time managing its tissue but it provides additional patient safety by enabling even tighter controls over tissue expiration and usage. If there is a recall, the supplier and the hospital have instant access to the same data."

With its user-friendly interface, ReadyTracker-Tissue will also save time for the Tissue Center's Accounting Department. The process for updating fees is simple and flexible, and an inventory report can be created with a click. For Lopez, the advantages are counted in time, money and peace of mind. "With Ready Tracker-Tissue, we have immediate, automated access to the status of our inventory. It provides real-time updates, and if our hospitals are also using ReadyTracker-Tissue, we'll get immediate notifications when tissue is received, implanted, or discarded.

For more information about Ready Tracker-Tissue, e-mail software@imsready.com or call 205-414-6869.

About IMS (Integrated Medical Systems International, Inc.)
IMS is a surgical instrument management and consulting company with facilities in Alabama, Florida, and Arizona and sales and clinical teams serving more than 2,000 healthcare facilities nationwide. IMS provides instrument and device inventory management; real-time online data and tools to track instruments, tissue and implants; restoration of instruments to manufacturers' performance standards; and on-location clinical personnel to manage sterile processing and interface with the OR. To learn more, visit www.imsready.com.

About the Blood and Tissue Center of Central Texas
The Blood and Tissue Center of Central Texas is a 501(c) (3) not-for-profit organization founded in 1951. The Tissue Services division was established in 1985 to meet the increasing demand for allograft tissue. The Tissue Center maintains a centrally located tissue graft inventory for area hospitals and surgery centers. Approximately 3,000 tissue grafts are distributed to area hospitals annually for life-saving surgeries. The center works with families throughout Central and South Texas to offer the option of tissue donation. Each year, approximately 300 families consent to tissue donation. The Tissue Center's main facility is located in Austin. To learn more, visit www.inyourhands.org.

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