Weirton (W. Va.) Medical Center is suing Cerner, and its acquired entity Siemens Health Services, for breach of contract. The medical center alleges it suffered "injuries and monetary losses" due to the breach. It is requesting the right to terminate the contract immediately.
Here are 10 things to know:
1. The medical center has been a Siemens customer for more than 25 years. In 2013, Weirton Medical Center and Siemens entered into an agreement, under which the medical center would receive a number of services from the company. These services include software applications, managed services for IT functions, ePayment services and mobile application services.
2. According to court documents, the medical center alleges Siemens did not uphold its end of the agreement. The medical center notes it encountered serious issues and
repeated problems with Siemens' "implementation of the applications, compounded by deficient delivery of services and related support." The medical center attempted to work out its issues with the company.
3. In 2015, Cerner acquired Siemens, and according to court documents, Siemens' Strategic Client Executive Suzie Hsieh wrote in an email to the center Cerner is committed to "supporting the Siemens Soarian platform for at least the next 10 years."
4. Siemens told Weirton Medical that to ensure long-term updates and support for its EHR system it would be best for the organization to extend its 2013 contract. The medical center, therefore, executed a 10-year extension of the original contract.
5. However, Weirton Medical alleges in court documents Cerner and Siemens failed to uphold the contract on numerous counts.
6. One allegation notes Siemens did not make programming changes to software applications in response to federally mandated regulatory changes, state mandated billing changes and HIPAA changes. Due to this, Weirton Medical claims it suffered monetary losses.
7. Additionally, the medical center alleges Cerner manipulated managed services help desk processes to afford itself "longer periods of time to resolve system issues."
8. The medical center also states the companies failed to employ and provide competent staff for delivery of professional services.
9. In addition to being allowed to terminate the contract, the medical center requests Cerner be asked to help the organizations switch to a new vendor, "without cost to
Weirton Medical and without interruption to Weirton Medical's operations for the entirety of the transition."
10. As per the complaint, Weirton Medical Center is also demanding a jury trial.