Cancer Treatment Centers of America, a national network of cancer treatment facilities, has completed a big-bang activation of a suite of healthcare IT software at five of its hospitals.

The 20 year-old CTCA network adopted technology from the Atlanta-based Eclipsys Corp., including a computerized physician order entry system and Knowledge-Based Charting software for clinical documentation. CTCA officials said the network's hospitals had achieved 100-percent adoption on the first day of the activation.

"Our joint effort to bring the project in on an 18-month schedule and on-budget with 100 percent adoption of CPOE speaks to the strong commitment from both organizations to execute a successful activation," said Chad A. Eckes, chief information officer at CTCA. "Our team focused on rigorous project management controls to deliver the effort on-target. We are very excited about the rapid time to value we achieved."

CTCA specializes in treating cancer patients living with complex and advanced-stage disease. Patients often travel across the country and between the CTCA hospitals for specialized care. The CTCA care model combines traditional medical treatments with scientifically supported complementary therapies.

The new technology at CTCA hospitals provides physicians with a clinical summary, which offers a comprehensive overview of inpatient and outpatient patient data, including the ability to review and change orders, results, documentation, medications and allergies.

CTCA is also using an electronic emergency care tracking board to prioritize care based on acuity, chief complaint and organizational protocols to help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of care delivered in its emergency department.