Zynx Health, a Los Angeles-based developer of content for clinical decision support systems, is teaming with five major healthcare organizations to test clinical decision support as a means of preparing for the types of accountable-care organizations that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will require.

The pilot program will examine a new Zynx product that analyzes existing clinical decision support and makes tactical recommendations for the health systems to reduce variations in care, save money and produce better outcomes, according to Zynx, a subsidiary of Hearst Corp. It also will seek to identify and overcome potential barriers to wider adoption of clinical decision support.

"By identifying the clinical processes that represent the greatest opportunity, we will be able to target our efforts to achieve better outcomes clinically and financially," Dr. Greg Schroedl, chief medical officer of Northwest Hospital & Medical Center in Seattle, says in a Zynx press release. "This approach will help lay the clinical foundation for our healthcare reform journey."

In addition to Northwest, pilot participants include Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles (where Zynx was created), Memorial Hermann Healthcare System in Houston, WellStar Health System in Atlanta and St. Joseph Health System sites in California and Texas. "Together we will work to uncover areas that will support them on their journey to succeeding in a reformed healthcare system," Zynx Health CEO Dr. Scott Weingarten says.

To learn more about this pilot:
- take a look at this CMIO story
- see this Zynx Health press release

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