Expresiv Technologies Announces SyncStream For Clinical Documentation Market.

Business Editors & Health/Medical Writers

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 4, 2003

Patent-pending Technology Synchronizes Text and Audio to

Optimize Transcriptionist Skills, Lower Transcription Costs

Expresiv Technologies, the leader in applied speech technologies for the clinical documentation market, today announced SyncStream(tm), a patent-pending breakthrough technology targeted specifically toward transcriptionist' use of speech-enabled medical document services.

SyncStream, a key component of Expresiv's MD Dictate Net(tm) web-enabled enterprise platform, is the first significant technology advancement in speech-enabled clinical documentation, providing a compelling solution to unwieldy and expensive bulk processing of speech recognition results. SyncStream provides unprecedented productivity gains for transcriptionists, with no requirement for physicians to alter their dictation methods.

SyncStream is the only technology available today that can streamline and increase medical transcription throughput using deferred speech recognition technology. By increasing transcriptionist productivity and providing marked improvements and control within the clinical documentation workflow, SyncStream technology elevates transcriptionist value. Additionally, significant cost improvements are now a reality for physicians and hospital administrators beleaguered by escalating costs and more restrictive reimbursement requirements. At the same time, no requirements are placed on physicians or medical practitioners to change their established dictation habits.

SyncStream's unique features include:

Text/Audio Synchronization -- Instead of typing dictation from

scratch, SyncStream enables transcriptionists to monitor the flow

of typed dictation as it automatically appears on their computer

monitor. The audio voice file is synchronized with the text

streaming so that the exact spoken words are heard at the same

time the typed dictation is inserted into the document.

Transcriptionists can easily accommodate dictation anomalies by

activating different methods of transcription `on the fly,'

providing unprecedented flexibility and further enhancing their

productivity. MD Dictate Net accommodates transcriptionist

preferences by providing transcription options on a per report

basis. After previewing the speech recognition results for a

particular job, the transcriptionist may choose to take advantage

of the power of SyncStream or they may elect to transcribe into a

document template without using speech recognition.

AutoNav(tm) Positioning -- By integrating speech recognition and

voice command functionality, AutoNav shifts the voice and data

streams to different document headings without requiring a single

keystroke. AutoNav is activated instantaneously by a spoken word

or phrase.

QuickFix(tm) Markers -- With QuickFix, transcriptionists flag

errors by inserting markers into streaming text. Transcriptionists

can either make corrections in `real time' or they may choose to

complete the document, then return to edit. Transcriptionists can

jump from marker to marker as SyncStream instantaneously synchs

the audio stream with the text for swift corrections. All the

while, transcriptionists control the pace of the process from a

standard foot pedal. MD Dictate Net then analysis the corrections

to automatically update the physician's speaker profile,

effectively teaching the system, so the speech recognition error

will not occur in the future.

Voice/Macro Expansion -- SyncStream technology also supports

expansion of voice macros that are triggered by individual words

or phrases. Voice macro's can be comprised of terms predefined by

the transcriptionist, physician, or nurse practitioner to further

speed the document creation process and provide the level of

detail mandated by federally defined billing codes.

"Today's announcement clearly signals a new approach to managing the creation of clinical documents, offering unparalleled productivity for transcriptionists and true cost savings for hospital administrators and physicians," said Frank Reeves, president and chief executive officer of Expresiv Technologies. "SyncStream, and the full line of our Enterprise/MD product suite, delivers on the promise of speech recognition to both the physicians, administrators and transcriptionists by delivering higher quality clinical documentation, fast turnaround, and dramatically improved cost savings."

SyncStream is now available in MD Dictate Net, the cornerstone of Expresiv's Enterprise/MD(tm) product suite. Leveraging deferred speech recognition technology, MD Dictate Net is a web-enabled enterprise platform that physicians use to dictate transcription using telephone access or voice recorders. MD Dictate Net uses advanced speech recognition and workflow technologies, including customized document templates and voice macros, to better manage the total dictation/transcription process both within and outside of the organization. MD Dictate Net -- combined with SyncStream's technology, significantly improves medical transcriptionist productivity, reduces turnaround time and is HL7-ready -- seamlessly integrating digital clinical documentation with Practice Management Systems, Electronic Medical Records, and Hospital Information Systems.

With SyncStream, MD Dictate Net, offers the first elegant and efficient alternative to bulk processing of speech recognition results common in other deferred speech recognition solutions. MD Dictate Net and SyncStream run on IBM's WebSphere(R) Voice Server with ViaVoice(R) technology.

Pricing and availability

The MD Dictate Net web-based enterprise platform which includes SyncStream technology is currently available. Pricing for the MD Dictate Net platform annual license starts at $2,000 per physician. Flexible pricing plans and volume discounts based on the number of physicians are available. For additional information, visit www.expresiv.com or call 877/888-5445 ext. 151.

About Expresiv

Based in Austin, Texas, Expresiv Technologies was founded in 1998 and has more than 3,000 North American customers -- and this elite group of healthcare organizations is rapidly growing. The company's business model centers on recruiting and retaining key channel partners -- all to extend Expresiv's reach by combining instantaneous speech recognition with deferred speech recognition-enabled transcription services. The company is backed by Polaris Venture Partners, Eaglestone Capital, Independent Bankers Capital and Eyes of Texas Partners. For more information, please visit www.expresiv.com.