Dell-Zogby Poll Shows Texans Optimistic Information Technology Can Improve Health Care

Survey Indicates Health IT Making a Difference, More Can Be Done

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Texans are optimistic about the potential of information technology to improve patient care, reduce costs and help transform the state's overall health-care system, according to a statewide survey released today by Dell (NASDAQ:DELL) and independent polling firm Zogby International.

The findings were released at a policy forum here today focused on accelerating the statewide adoption of health-care information technology (IT). Dell CEO Kevin Rollins was joined at the event by James Nicholson, secretary of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and John Mendelsohn, M.D., president of The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

    Key survey findings include:

    --  Texans are optimistic about the positive benefits of
        health-care IT. Nearly three in four (73 percent) think that
        e-prescriptions will have a positive impact on the quality of
        health care they receive. Forty-three percent of Texans
        predict the quality and efficiency of care will dramatically
        or significantly improve as more technology is introduced into
        the health-care system, and another 33 percent predict modest
        improvements.

    --  Despite the optimism, Texans believe the state's health system
        needs reform. Nearly three in five Texas residents say the
        state's current health-care system needs reform. Among those
        who feel that reforms are necessary, cost (75 percent) far
        outweighs quality of care (15 percent) and efficiency and
        convenience (9 percent) as most critical.

    --  The current system poses efficiency and quality-of-care
        challenges. Nearly one in five participants said they have had
        a duplicate medical test or evaluation because health-care
        providers did not have the necessary medical records. Almost
        one in 10 said they had been given the wrong dosage or type of
        medication.

    --  Texans want policymakers to take action. Texas residents are
        more likely to feel that policy makers (37 percent) would have
        more impact than insurers (22 percent), health-care providers
        (16 percent), or employers (11 percent) on driving
        improvements in the state's health-care system.

"Texas' outstanding hospitals, education and research institutions make the state a global health-care leader," said Dell CEO Kevin Rollins. "Results of the survey, however, also make it clear that Texans are ready for the state to lead when it comes to using IT to improve the quality, cost and convenience of health care."

Among the top technology providers to the health-care industry, Dell has partnered with the Technology CEO Council (TCC) during the past year to host health-care policy forums in Boston, Greensboro, N.C., and Nashville.

Mr. Rollins in 2005 joined members of the TCC in the release of its policy report, "A Healthy System." Chief among the report's recommendations was a call for business leaders to help improve health care by providing their employees access to personal health records.

Dell has since made available to its U.S. workforce an innovative version of personal health records and an online tool that helps employees manage health-care costs. Participants in the company's health-improvement programs have experienced an average 10 percent decline in health-care expenses and significant declines in emergency room and hospital visits over the past two years.

Separately, Dell earlier this week announced its sponsorship of the National E-Prescribing Patient Safety Initiative, a coalition of leading technology companies, health-care payers and physician groups dedicated to improving patient safety and eliminating medication errors by providing access to free electronic prescribing for every physician in America.

The company also signed a statement of support for a Presidential Executive Order outlining key actions federal health-care programs can take to provide meaningful, more consistent care. In doing so, Dell said it would leverage the Department of Health and Human Services' interoperability standards when it implements, upgrades or acquires health-care information technology products and services for its employees.

Methodology

Zogby International conducted the online poll, interviewing 1,040 adults in Texas on a range of issues including cost of care, quality of care and efficiency. The online poll ran Dec. 8, 2006, through Dec. 11, 2006. The margin of error is +/- 3.1 percent. Slight weights were added to party, age, race and gender to more accurately reflect the population.

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 sells more systems globally than any computer company, placing it No. 25 on the Fortune 500. For more information, visit www.dell.com. To get Dell news direct, visit www.dell.com/RSS.

Dell is a trademark of Dell Inc.

Dell disclaims any proprietary interest in the marks and names of others.

    KEYNOTE EXCERPTS FROM 'ACCELERATING E-HEALTH IN TEXAS' FORUM

    JANUARY 19, 2007

The Honorable R. James Nicholson, Secretary, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

(contact: Ozzie Garza, 214-505-4315, ozzie.garza@va.gov)

"The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health-care system has cured itself by a large dose of technology. When it comes to delivering health care by leveraging the latest innovations in information technology, VA leads the way. I am proud to say that VA is at the forefront of America's health-care community. We lead private and Government health-care providers across almost every measure with our widely acclaimed, state-of-the-art, quality-care arcs from the research lab to the patient's bedside."

John Mendelsohn, M.D., president, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center

(contact: Julie Penne, 713-792-0662, jpenne@mdanderson.org)

"M. D. Anderson has made a significant commitment to information technology, and to eHealth specifically, knowing that we can only begin to accomplish our mission by exploiting the Internet and related technologies to the fullest extent possible."

"eHealth is already an integral part of M. D. Anderson's clinical and research processes. We have built a flexible and fully interoperable electronic medical record environment which enables appropriate and authorized access to patient data from outside the institution - whether from referring providers, or from a patient's physician in their hometown providing care in collaboration with us. In fact, some have suggested that the product we are building at M. D. Anderson could serve as a fully functioning component of an interoperable healthcare environment not only locally, but also regionally and even worldwide. Isn't this what eHealth is all about?"

    Kevin Rollins, Chief Executive Officer, Dell Inc.

    (contact: Colleen Ryan, 512-728-3863, Colleen_Ryan@dell.com)

"As one of the top technology providers to the U.S. health-care industry, we have seen how information technology has brought new efficiencies, and cost savings, to other industries. We believe the same benefits could be - and should be - realized in health care."

"Public and private organizations must deepen their partnerships, and embrace approaches in which health-care services can be more effectively delivered and managed. Despite our country's preeminence in health-care science, the actual delivery and management of health services is too often inefficient, outdated and disconnected."

"Today, we're in the midst of a rare opportunity in which consumers, government and private industry are open to change. If we channel our efforts in the right direction, we can revolutionize health care, creating a modernized and better-quality system for years to come."

Source: Dell Inc.

Released January 19, 2007