xpressMD Technologies & Hudson IPA Form Strategic Partnership; 1800-Member Physicians' Association Will Help to Market xpressMD's e-Healthcare & Other Products.

Business, Technology & Health Editors

TARRYTOWN, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 20, 2000

xpressMD Technologies, Inc., which provides physicians with products that increase efficiency and enhance patient care, has announced the formation of a strategic marketing partnership with the Hudson IPA, Inc., one of the leading physician-run independent physicians' associations in New York state with over 1,800 members.

The board of directors of Hudson IPA has approved marketing and implementing xpressMD Technologies's proprietary application, xtendMD(TM), to its large metropolitan New York membership. xtendMD, an online platform for secure and efficient physician-patient messaging, extends the physician-patient connection and gives patients better access to the information they need. The xtendMD platform also provides access to other services and products such as medical transcriptions and delivery of prescription medications.

Tools That Benefit Doctors & Patients

The practice of medicine has changed dramatically in the past few years. Managed care puts pressure on physicians to see more patients in less time. xtendMD provides physicians with proprietary communications tools and services that enable them to manage their time more effectively while providing improved patient care. Unlike e-mail, which is unsuitable for private communications and can pile up unanswered in physicians' mailboxes, xtendMD offers a secure, online solution that takes full advantage of the flexibility and speed of the Internet. It gives patients more access to their doctors on a broader range of matters. It provides what will become the "gold standard" for timely, non-acute medical care.

"xtendMD will revolutionize how physicians and patients interact," said Dr. Marco Zarlengo, an internist who is also Associate Medical Director of Hudson IPA. "This is a compelling platform that will enhance medical care and improve efficiencies."

Using functionality tailored to each physician's practice needs, xtendMD features include physician access to secure online messages from their patients; the ability for physicians to personalize and update their web site; and automatic routing of messages to designated staff members within their office. The platform also enables physicians to respond to patients via a secure server, which patients access by using a password. Doctors can use the platform to contact their patients and for medical reminders and other news. Patients are advised by email that their doctor's response awaits them on the xtendMD web site. The platform even makes it possible to help monitor and manage the care of an elderly parent or relative many miles away.

xtendMD is not a substitute for office visits. It is an enhancement of current physician services that enables them to better organize, prioritize and respond to a broad range of patient needs. At the same time xtendMD, which is expected to launch in the first quarter of 2001, empowers patients to more precisely identify and convey their questions at their leisure, without waiting for a return phone call. It also allows doctors to personalize their responses. Medical experts say this not only saves significant time for both physicians and patients, it also improves medical care.

"The Hudson IPA's agreement to have xpressMD Technologies provide its members with products and services is strong validation of the organization's belief in our business," said Pankaj K. Talwar, Executive Vice President of xpressMD Technologies. "The partnership with Hudson IPA provides us with the potential for reaching as many as two million patients."

"xtendMD is easily incorporated into the physician's normal routine to provide immediate value," said Brian M. Weber, Executive Vice President of xpressMD Technologies. "Working closely with Hudson IPA's physicians will ensure that our system will respond to the needs of private practitioners and their patients."

About xpressMD Technologies

Tarrytown, NY-based xpressMD Technologies, Inc. provides physicians with products that increase efficiency and enhance patient care. xpressMD Technologies was established in 1999 by practicing physicians and healthcare executives. Products and services include xtendMD(TM), a proprietary online platform for secure physician-patient messaging and the delivery of medical services; xpress Pharmacy, for overnight delivery of prescription medications; and xpress Transcription, for transcribing doctors' dictations. Westchester-based Hudson IPA, the leading physician-run independent physicians' organizations in New York state is a strategic partner.

About Hudson IPA

With over 1,800 member physicians, Hudson IPA, www.hudsonipa.com, based in Westchester, is one of the largest independent physician's association in the New York state. Hudson IPA was originally founded by physicians in 1986 for the purpose of serving as the intermediary for managing contracts and the relationships with HMOs. It continues to be managed "by physicians for physicians." Many traditional functions typically performed by the HMO such as credentialing and utilization reviews are among the services provided by Hudson IPA to its members.