Source Informatics, MicroStrategy and Sequent announce development of data warehouse.

PHOENIX--(BW HealthWire)--May 29, 1997--

First decision support applications in retail pharmacy industry

to be delivered via the Web

Source Informatics/PMSI (NASDAQ:PMRX), MicroStrategy and Sequent(R) (NASDAQ:SQNT) Thursday announced a rapid implementation program for integrated pharmacy operations and managed care pharmaceutical decision support systems for the retail pharmacy industry.

By combining Source Informatics' proven retail and managed care pharmacy data model and implementation methodology, MicroStrategy's industry-leading relational OLAP technology and the optimized hardware architecture of Sequent's NUMA-Q(TM) 2000 platform, retail pharmacy chains now have access to decision support applications at a dramatically reduced cost, risk and time frame than ever before.

These applications are based on a proven retail and managed care pharmacy data model which integrates retail prescription activity and other data on retail pharmacy operational and managed care efforts.

The packaged solution includes a fully populated data warehouse with reports that provide a broad range of cause-and-effect analyses for retail pharmacy performance measurement, category management and intervention programs with managed care plans and pharmaceutical manufacturers.

These reports allow retailers to evaluate the impact of their various marketing and managed care efforts at the prescriber, payer and pharmacy class of trade competitor level. This implementation sets a new industry standard, as DSS solutions of this scope previously took more than a year to design, develop and deploy.

The applications will be available via multiple delivery methods, including the pre-established client server infrastructure of the World Wide Web. The Web delivery mechanism, developed with Microstrategy's DSSWeb tool kit, provides a level of access that was previously unheard of in the industry. Users now have universal access to extremely large volumes of critical information, and at a fraction of the cost of traditional client server environments.

"In today's rapidly evolving healthcare environment, it is critical that we provide our clients with rapid access to integrated decision support capabilities. For this reason, we are developing partnerships with companies that are innovators in their respective fields," said Michael D. Weintraub, vice president and general manager, Source Informatics Retailer Services and Technology Sales Group. "Our expertise in analytical application development and pharmacy data modeling, combined with MicroStrategy's Web enabled ROLAP technologies and Sequent's leading-edge server platform, will result in a strategic advantage for our clients."

"A rapid implementation program for developing data warehouses addresses a high-value business need by providing retail drugstore operators with a quick, low-risk solution," said Sanju K. Bansal, MicroStrategy's chief operating officer. "The combination of these three companies provides retailers with a scalable and extensible solution that can change and grow to meet their most critical data analysis needs, a requirement in the rapidly evolving healthcare industry."

"By working together, Sequent, Source Informatics and MicroStrategy are able to bring the market the most complete decision support solution to meet the needs of today's retail pharmacy operations and managed care divisions," said Peter O'Neill, vice president of American Operations at Sequent. "Our data center ready NUMA-Q(TM) 2000 systems are ideal for the most demanding DSS and data warehousing applications and our services offerings guarantee success. This partnership enables us to deliver bottom-line value to our customers with precision and speed."

About Source Informatics Inc.

Source Informatics is a leading provider of prescription, prescriber, pharmacy, hospital and managed care information solutions for the healthcare industry. Source Informatics provides a wide range of solutions to pharmaceutical and healthcare companies in the United States, Europe and the Pacific Rim.

Through the integration and management of disparate data sources, the utilization of enabling technologies and the application of business expertise, Source Informatics helps its clients turn data into information and information into business intelligence.

More information on how Source Informatics can help you meet your business intelligence needs can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.simatics.com or by calling 602/38l-9300.

About MicroStrategy Inc.

MicroStrategy is the leading provider of industrial- strength decision support products for developing and accessing data warehouses.

As the Relational OLAP (ROLAP) industry pioneer, MicroStrategy has delivered a series of technology breakthroughs including high-performance, multidimensional OLAP analysis directly from relational databases; VLDB drivers for terabyte-range scalability; a multipass SQL generation engine; OLAP over the World Wide Web; and the first management and monitoring tool for administering VLDB and web-based DSS applications.

MicroStrategy's worldwide customer base includes hundreds of Fortune 1000 companies, and it has developed strategic partnerships with value-added resellers and leading software and hardware companies. More information about MicroStrategy can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.strategy.com/ or by calling 800/927-1868.

About Sequent Computer Systems Inc.

Sequent Computer Systems, Beaverton, Ore., is uniquely capable of delivering robust and scalable Data Center Ready open systems solutions that are guaranteed to perform. Sequent minimizes customers' risk, enabling implementation of complex business applications that support critical business needs.

Sequent solutions are based on the breakthrough Sequent NUMA-Q architecture, a comprehensive portfolio of proven systems architecture and migration services and offerings, and an established set of partnerships with the industry's best-in-class. For further information, phone Sequent at 503/626-5700 or 800/257-9044, or visit the company's World Wide Web site at http://www.sequent.com.

CONTACT: Source Informatics Inc., Phoenix

Bill Bagwell, 602/381-9104