Marietta Memorial Hospital has signed a five-year IT solutions contract with CareTech Solutions.

Earlier this year, the Marietta, Ohio-based hospital had implemented a new electronic medical record designed to improve interoperability and quality of care. CareTech, based in Troy, Mich., has now been contracted to provide the hospital with IT and service desk solutions.

"CareTech Solutions' deep bench of experts and its healthcare-only expertise were strategic assets to Marietta Memorial Hospital that competing organizations just couldn't match," said Scott Cantley, the hospital's CEO.  "CareTech will take the lead role in developing and implementing a comprehensive healthcare IT strategy that puts patient care first, and we look forward to a great relationship."

The hospital will also receive assistance in developing a strategic plan aimed at aligning care objectives and federal stimulus funds being released in the coming months.

"CareTech's healthcare-specific focus and its efforts to understand Marietta Memorial Hospital's technology challenges were critical factors in the hospital selecting CareTech as its IT partner," said Jim Giordano, CareTech's president and CEO.  "We're helping to develop, execute and lead Marietta Memorial Hospital's IT strategy to help ensure it becomes a model for other hospitals relative to alignment with the national vision for healthcare IT."