Dell, Seton Family of Hospitals Extend Technology Services Partnership

Dell (NASDAQ:DELL) announced today that the Seton Family of Hospitals in Central Texas has signed a services contract with the company in a new six-year agreement. Dell and Seton’s partnership dates back almost two decades and for the past six years Dell has managed Seton’s day-to-day information technology operations and provided technology vision and expertise. "We pride ourselves on being innovative in our approach to health care and having a partner like Dell with that same innovative approach from a technology perspective is invaluable,” said Charles J. Barnett, president and CEO of the Seton Family of Hospitals. "We see technology as a way to enhance our staff’s ability to deliver the best patient experience. Our partnership with Dell has helped us serve the Central Texas community for many years.” Dell provides a range of services and technology for Seton, with a focus on enhancing its clinicians’ ability to serve patients by continually improving efficiency and access to information. A Dell employee serves as Seton’s chief information officer, while a Dell team manages a variety of technology projects, including virtualization of Seton’s data center, implementation of an electronic health records system and digital imaging. Dell servers, storage, and notebook and desktop computers run the infrastructure for the Seton system. "By managing Seton’s technology operations, we aim to simplify IT and enable Seton to focus on what they do best, delivering top-notch health care to the citizens of Central Texas,” said James Coffin, vice president, Dell Health Care and Life Sciences. "Dell’s work with Seton and other health-care customers helps enable these organizations to invest their time and resources in innovative ways to improve patient care, not basic IT management.” The Seton Family of Hospitals is growing rapidly in an effort to meet the ever-increasing demand of a booming Central Texas population. To that end, Seton is creating vibrant new facilities, including the most recently-opened Dell Children’s Medical Center of Central Texas and the soon-to-be operational Seton Medical Center Williamson. Seton looks to its partnership with Dell to help support the expansion through technology. Through tools such as electronic health records and digital imaging, caregivers can access patient information in their offices, in patient rooms and at stations throughout the facilities. This helps drive efficiency and collaboration, both of which can make the patient experience better. Applications that monitor things such as drug interactions and dosage recommendations support Seton’s patient safety goals. Wireless access for patients and visitors can enable them to stay in touch with friends and family during hospital visits. An example of this partnership at work is the new Dell Children’s Medical Center. Dell was involved with the development of the new hospital from the ground up, ensuring information technology played an integral role in Seton’s innovative approach to health care. About Dell Dell Inc. (NASDAQ:DELL) listens to customers and delivers innovative technology and services they trust and value. Uniquely enabled by its direct business model, Dell is a leading global systems and services company and No. 34 on the Fortune 500. For more information, visit www.dell.com, or to communicate directly with Dell via a variety of online channels, go to www.dell.com/conversations. To get Dell news direct, visit www.dell.com/RSS. About the Seton Family of Hospitals Since 1902, the Seton Family of Hospitals (www.seton.org) has served the residents of Central Texas and is the largest healthcare provider in the region. It is the only faith-based family of hospitals in Central Texas. The Seton health system is comprised of five urban acute care hospitals, including the region's only Level II Trauma Center, two rural hospitals, a mental health hospital, three primary care clinics for the uninsured and several health facilities that provide general medical care. The Seton Family includes the only hospitals in Central Texas to be granted Magnet Status, the highest award for nursing excellence given by the Credentialing Center of the American Nurses Association. Seton is the largest private employer in Central Texas, with more than 8,700 associates, and is the area's largest community service organization, providing more than $237 million dollars in charity care and community benefit in 2006.