Traverse City, MI March 26, 2004 -- Perioperative Education Network, LLC (PEN), a recognized leader in Perioperative education for the delivery of rich media over the Internet, today announced that Consorta, a leading healthcare group purchasing and resource management company will contract to view PENs April 27th Webcast for their member hospitals. This webcast, titled Surgical Counts in the Operating Room1 will feature expert speakers in the field of Perioperative education along with a legal expert in the field of medical malpractice.

Consorta's educational network links its members with the best continuing education resources in the industry. Consorta members report that PEN Webcasts present leading practices that are applicable to their perioperative environments. PEN's educational programs provide relevant, fact-based courses, as well as opportunities for knowledge-sharing among surgical staff across the country. One of the greatest advantages of online learning is the immediacy of integrating new ways of working together to create safe and efficient perioperative processes. Our members find great value in these collaborative learning programs. (Jean Livingston, PhD, Director, Organizational Effectiveness Consorta, Inc.)

Although a new business venture, and the first of its kind, PEN, LLC is not new to live interactive Webcasting of operating room educational programs. PEN incorporated after an extremely successful 2 years as a non- profit venue partnered with a major medical center in Northern Michigan. The initial target centered on the 30 primarily rural, regional hospitals in the Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan. It quickly gained national recognition as a cost- effective, creative and unusual method of enhancing the education of perioperative professionals. By capitalizing on the efficiencies of the Internet, PEN is able to broadcast programs globally, such as last years "Medication Errors in the Operating Room" and "Wrong Site Surgery", two clinically relevant and current topics.

This year (2004), PEN will continue its campaign for patient safety with programs such as the above stated Surgical Counts in the OR, along with Disaster Planning and Response to Bioterrorism in the OR, Positioning: Part I and Fire Prevention and Fire Safety in the Perioperative Environment. The 2005 Webcast schedule has just been announced and can be viewed on PENs website at www.penonline.org. All PENs programs are or will be academically supported by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and available live or on-demand at www.penonline.org.

For information: http://www.penonline.org
Contact: Barbara Sutherland- Business Development and Technology Manager e-mail protected from spam bots
Phone: 231.933.9856

1 Contact hours for this continuing nursing education activity has been applied for through the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses, Inc., an accredited approver by the American Nurses Credentialing Centers Commission on Accreditation.

10223 E Cherry Bend Rd - Suite B - Traverse City, MI - Phone 231.933.9856 Fax 231.933.9869