LAWSON SOFTWARE LAUNCHES HEALTHCARE INDUSTRY INITIATIVE; Enterprise-Wide Applications for Healthcare Providers Will Help Contain Costs.

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 15, 1995--Lawson Software, a leading provider of client/server financial applications to the U.S. healthcare industry, today announced plans to deliver its enterprise-wide business applications in a new suite of products designed for the specific needs of healthcare provider organizations. Working closely with healthcare industry experts, customers and third-party partners, Lawson will tailor its integrated financial, human resources and materials management application software and its customer support to address the requirements of integrated delivery networks, hospitals, long-term care facilities and health maintenance organizations.

The Lawson initiative comes at a time when the healthcare industry faces mounting pressure to control costs while maintaining high-quality patient care. Because major health insurers and government funders are increasingly enforcing fixed-price compensation for each procedure performed, healthcare providers must identify every possible avenue for reducing costs. Thorough examination of these costs requires sophisticated information systems that are flexible enough to accommodate rapidly changing circumstances and merging organizations.

"Enterprise-wide access to the right information can greatly assist healthcare providers in reducing costs while maintaining quality care," said Dan Metzger, Lawson's vice president of marketing. "Our extensive experience with more than 100 U.S. customers in the healthcare field, combined with our proven whole- product approach, gives Lawson a good understanding of their needs and a strong foundation for helping these providers become more efficient."

Lawson's whole-product approach recognizes that a customer needs a complete set of products and services in order to achieve a favorable return on their information systems investment. Working with third-party suppliers of hardware, software and specialized support services, Lawson leverages its open system architecture to deliver a best-of-breed solution tailored to the needs of each customer.

In support of its healthcare venture, Lawson has taken the following steps:

o Created the Lawson Healthcare Industry Council, whose

members represent healthcare organizations from around the

nation. o Established the Lawson Healthcare Group, an experienced team

of healthcare professionals, to drive the ongoing development

of Lawson software applications tailored for the healthcare

industry. o Organized a dedicated sales force that understands the specific

needs of healthcare providers -- and has experience in solving

their problems. o Added a healthcare dimension to its support staff, including a

Healthcare Account Services Group, and a Healthcare

Application and Technology help line.

Scheduled for delivery this fall, Lawson's healthcare materials management application package will be the first in the company's suite of industry-specific products. "Materials management is the best place to start controlling costs because improvements begin to pay for themselves immediately -- while maintaining, and in some cases improving patient care," said Ann Claridge, Lawson's director of healthcare marketing. "Since inventory is the industry's second largest expense, healthcare providers need materials management systems that can improve efficiency and reduce cost."

Lawson Software is a $70 million, full-service provider of enterprise-wide, client/server business application solutions, specializing in accounting, human resources, healthcare, and distribution and materials management. Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Minneapolis, the organization employs 580 professionals around the world. Offices are located in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, London, Los Angeles, New York, Seattle, Toronto, and Washington, D.C. as well as in France, The Netherlands, Spain and Sweden.

Lawson was recently ranked among the leading client/server business application vendors by International Data Corporation and was listed among the top five vendors of client/server financial applications by Price Waterhouse LLP and InformationWeek.

-0- Lawson is a registered trademark of Lawson Software. Other company and product names are the trademarks of their respective companies.

CONTACT: Jan Cusumano

Lawson Software [phone]

or

Jessica Solodar or Bruce Rogers 

Rogers Communications [phone]