Networking Revolutionizes Scope of Physician Practice Management System Markets.

Business Editors

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 21, 1999

Buckling under pressure to streamline operations, the previously paper-happy medical community is becoming savvy about information systems.

This rush to integrate operations has been stimulated by an increase in questioning of the cost and quality of services. The physicians practice management systems (PPMS) industry is coming to the rescue by providing medical practitioners with sophisticated IS-based tools and services to assist judicious decision-making.

According to the latest research by the healthcare group at Frost & Sullivan, "U.S. Physicians Practice Management System Markets," total market revenues have risen from $2.36 billion in 1998 to $2.66 billion in 1999. This upward trend is projected to continue through 2005.

A major contributor to the acceptance of IS among medical practitioners is the gamut of opportunities presented by the user-friendly Internet. "As caregivers embrace the Internet to receive actual clinical and financial benefits from the technology, barriers to using new information technologies are likely to fall dramatically," says Manoj Kenkare, renowned Hospital Information Systems Analyst for Frost & Sullivan. Physicians are joining networks to take advantage of newly available efficiencies in information management, pushing the growth in the PPMS industry.

"The development, maintenance and access to better information is a major competitive factor for healthcare providers today. As patients gain deeper awareness and demand greater involvement in their own care, quality of care will become a major issue." PPMS vendors are winning customers by marketing the systems' access to the best information and services available.

Meanwhile, healthcare mergers and acquisitions are changing the face of the PPMS industry. "As physicians are thrown together as a result of healthcare mergers, collaborations and alliances, there is a greater need for existing information systems to communicate with one another and to take advantage of network facilities."

"Interface engines are emerging as a key technology in the struggle to integrate disparate information systems both in-house and across the enterprise." By providing real-time translation software, these engines greatly enhance the ability of an organization engage in e-health.

Frost & Sullivan presents Market Engineering Awards to companies that have excelled in the Physicians Practice Management Systems industry. The 1999 Market Engineering Leadership Award is presented to IDX Systems for its excellent leadership qualities. The 1999 Market Engineering Competitive Strategy Award is presented to Medic Computer Systems for demonstrating superior competitive strategy.

Market participants include Accumedic Computer Systems, Inc.; Adam Systems, Inc.; Advanced Data Systems; Advanced Institutional Management Software, Inc.; Advanced Medical Management; Advanced Medical Systems, Inc.; AEQ, L.L.C.; Affinity Software Corp.; American Medical Management; American Medical Software; Apex Business Computing; Applied HealthCare Informatics, Inc. (changed to Ingenix); Brentwood Medical Products; Bukstel & Halfpenny, Inc. (Clinical Information Networks); California Medical Systems; Cerner Corp.; Chart Ware, Inc.; CIVITEC Healthcare Computers; CMHC Systems; CodeMaster Corp.; Companion Technologies Corp.; Companion Technologies, Inc.; Compulink Business Systems, Inc.; CompuSystems, Inc. (division of Medic Computer Systems); Computer Processing Unlimited, Inc.; Computer Programs & Systems, Inc. (CPSI); Medical Management Systems; CSC Healthcare; CSS, Inc.; Dairyland Computer and Consulting; Data Decisions, Inc.; Datamedic Corp.; DeLair Systems, Inc.; Disc Systems; Eko Systems, Inc.; Electronic Healthcare Systems, Inc.; Elite Encounter.Point Technologies Epic Systems Corp.; Epsilon Systems, Inc.; ESRI; Experior Corp.; Global Health Systems, Inc. (division of Health Management Systems); HALIS, Inc.; HCIA, Inc.; HCS; Health Care Data Systems Health Information Systems; Healthcare Decision Systems, Inc.; Healthcare Management Systems; Healthcare Media Enterprises, Inc.; Healtheon Corp.; HealthMagic, Inc.; HUB Computer Medical Systems, Inc.; IDX Systems Corp.; IMPAC Medical Systems; Infinity Medical Systems, Inc.; InfoSys, Inc.; Infoworld Management Systems, Inc.; Innervation Technology Corp.; Innovative Managed Care Systems, Inc. (I-MaCS); Insight Medical Management Systems; Integrate IT!, Inc.; InterVoice, Inc.; Intesys, a division of Spacelabs Medical, Inc.; Keane, Inc.; LSS Data Systems; Lytec Systems, Inc.; Management Sciences, Inc.; M&M Computer Services; MckessonHBOC; MDS Technologies; MD/Win Corp.; MEDCOM Information Systems; Medfax Corp.; Medical Business Automation, Inc. (MBA); Medical Digital Technologies, Inc.; Medical Information Management Systems, Inc. (MIMS); Medical Information Systems; Medical Information Technology (MEDITECH); Medical Manager Corp.; Medical Software Products; Medic Computer Systems, Inc.; Medifor, Inc.; MedLink Technologies, Inc. (now Care Insight); Med-Works, Inc.; MedInformatix Inc.; MediQual Systems, Inc.; MediServe Information Systems, Inc.; Medisoft; MEGAS Corp.; Micro-Designs Software Corp.; MicroMed Healthcare Information Systems, Inc.; Millbrook Corp.; Mountainside Software, Inc.; MSI Software, Inc.; MTA Systems, Inc.; National Healthnet Systems, Inc.; NDC Health Information Services; Nelson Data Resources, Inc.; Nichols TXEN; PatientCare Dynamics, L.L.C.; Per-se Technology, Inc.; PhysicianAccess.com; Physician Computer Network, Inc.; Physician Micro Systems, Inc.; The Physician's Computer Co.; Physicians' Online, Inc.; Physix, Inc.; PRN Medical Software; Probity; Prodata Systems, Inc.; Productive Data Management, Inc.; Professional On-Line Computer, Inc.; Professional Support, Inc.; PSIMED Corp.; Quadax, Inc.; Quality Systems, Inc.; Reynolds and Reynolds Healthcare Systems; Scientific Data Management, Inc.; Shared Medical Systems (SMS); SmartTalk, Inc.; SoftAid Medical Management Systems; STAT Medical Information on Demand; Stratford Healthcare Systems, Inc.; TDH Medical Systems, Inc.; Tech-Time, Inc.; ThinkMed; Velox Systems Corp. (now Quadramed); VersaForm Systems Corp.; Virtual Software Systems; Visteon Corp.; WANG Healthcare Information Systems, Inc.; Westland Medical Systems; and Zybex Medical Systems.

Related companies include 3Com Corp.; Compaq Computer Corp. -Healthcare; Lotus Development Corp.; Medaphis Corp.; Netscape Communications Corp.; Novell, Inc.; and Sybase, Inc.

Industry Associations include the American Association for Artificial Intelligence; the American Health Information Management Association; the American Medical Association; the American Medical Group Association; the American Medical Informatics Association; the Center for Healthcare Information Management; the Computer-based Patient Record Institute; the Healthcare Financial Management Association; the Health Care Financing Administration; the Healthcare Industry Manufacturers Association; the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society; and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.

Frost & Sullivan is an international marketing consulting and training organization that monitors the physicians practice management systems industry for market trends, market measurements and strategies. This ongoing research is included in the Frost & Sullivan Online "Hospital Information Systems Custom Subscription," and is used to support participants with customized consulting needs. Free executive summaries of all Frost & Sullivan research are available to the press through our media relations department.

U.S. Physicians Practice Management System Markets

Report: 7165-48 Date: January 2000 Price: $2,950