Press Release

August 9th, 2010
AxSys Technology exports its revolutionary clinical software solution to Silicon Valley

California's largest independent healthcare network invests in Excelicare to provide better, safer and less costly healthcare for around 60,000 patients

Glasgow, UK 9th August 2010 – One of California's largest independent healthcare networks has signed a major deal with Glasgow-based provider of patient-centric clinical information solutions AxSys Technology (AxSys). Santa Clara County Independent Physician Association (SCCIPA), which links more than 800 physicians, is investing in the highly sophisticated, but user-friendly, Excelicare web-based medical record system.

The result will be quicker, better, safer and less costly healthcare for around 60,000 patients in the San Francisco Bay area – home of Silicon Valley.

AxSys, through its Excelicare solution – which gives physicians instant access to an electronic record carrying each patient's complete health record - will deploy a health information exchange (HIE), a SureScripts certified ePrescribing solution and a patient personal health record (PHR) as well as a suite of comprehensive clinical care management modules.

In addition to this contract, AxSys Technology has also formed a strategic alliance with Pacific Partners Management Services (PPMSI), SCCIPA's management services company. As a result this could see Excelicare rolled out to PPMSI clients caring for up to three million patients, in a market worth an estimated $50 million.

Dr Ellis Weeker, PPMSI President and Chairman, says Excelicare is superb news for doctors and patients.

"As an emergency physician I sometimes have people coming in who have just had an expensive diagnostic test, costing perhaps $4,000 or $5,000, but I can't get the results so it has to be repeated," Dr Weeker explains. "Excelicare stops that happening because it gives you instant access to the patients' complete record. This cuts duplication and saves cost. But more importantly, as some of these tests do contain an element of risk, such as exposure to radiation, it improves patient safety through the prevention of having to repeat a test more than is necessary."

"Often when patients visit my emergency department they forget their medications meaning I am unable to check what, for instance, antibiotics or heart pills they are taking. The Excelicare system will provide this data instantly allowing me to diagnose more quickly and accurately and to offer better treatment because I have the right information."

As part of the contact process Dr Weeker and his colleagues visited Scotland to see Excelicare in operation within a number of NHS Trust sites.

Commenting on this visit Dr Weeker said: "The individuals we met leading IT projects within the trusts were really enthusiastic about Excelicare, and as far as I'm concerned a happy client is the best salesman you can have. I was also impressed with AxSys because, like my own company, it is run by doctors, and the people at AxSys were a delight to deal with. Both our companies have been around for a similar amount of time and were set up by physicians who are dedicated to solving problems for their patients. That makes it very different from dealing with companies which are simply trying to sell a product."

It is hoped that SCCIPA will have Excelicare fully operational by the end of the year.

The adoption of Excelicare will also be timely in light of the recent Obama administration's health reforms which mean that healthcare providers across the USA will have to adopt meaningful electronic patient record and information systems.

PPMSI has already developed its own clinical care management application, called Access Express, which is specially geared to the US system – which has many different health insurers rather than a universal provider like the NHS. As a result Dr Weeker believes Excelicare and Access Express will make a potent combination, providing a huge range of tools for the US healthcare industry.

"The two halves fit together perfectly. This is a very exciting opportunity, there's nothing else like this out there in the US," stated Dr Weeker. "Our system predated the Obama healthcare reforms, but Obama really fuelled the fire and helped with the recognition that we all needed to be travelling in this direction. And it's certainly good to know that we were already on the right path at the right time. I believe that we are a good couple of years ahead of others in the US and together with AxSys we can achieve a huge amount."

Dr Pradeep Ramayya, CEO and co-founder of AxSys Technology, said: "Excelicare has proved its value in the NHS and is now being welcomed by healthcare providers in the USA, which is so often seen as the world leader in software. It's certainly quite an achievement to be exporting software to Silicon Valley. What we offer is very different to anything else available in the USA because it has been developed by people who really understand the needs of doctors and patients."

"Access Express is used by more than 25,000 providers in the US to promote efficiency and drive quality through their healthcare practice. PPMSI is a physician led organisation and their individuals have a great understanding of the US healthcare system and a deep desire to make a difference to patient care. This is why we are glad to be part of this collaboration," continues Dr Ramayya. "AxSys is also pleased that it can support the objectives of PPMSI to work towards the continuous improvement of quality, cost and patient access to care. The combination of Access Express and Excelicare will deliver tangible results to match the US healthcare reforms, including reduced readmissions, lower cost of care for patients – particularly through chronic disease management and preventative care - elimination of duplicate tests, and auto-adjudication of referrals and authorisations. We firmly believe that the strategic alliance with PPMSI has the potential to bring better healthcare to millions of Americans in the near future."

About AxSys Technology Limited
AxSys Technology Limited specialises in the development and implementation of clinical solutions to improve the delivery of healthcare. All AxSys solutions are patient-centric and are designed with a clinical perspective to directly benefit patients and healthcare providers. AxSys was set up by experienced doctors who recognised the benefits of the Collaborative Care model in their own clinical practice and realised that a flexible communication oriented clinical information system would be a key element in its successful delivery. The company, registered in Scotland and based in Glasgow, started operations in January 2000.

AxSys' product Excelicare was conceived as a solution for Collaborative Care. It is a powerful toolset-based application that allows the creation of highly tailored clinical systems to reflect the complex working patterns of clinicians across the healthcare spectrum and has the ability to integrate effectively with existing healthcare IT systems. It incorporates advanced telecommunication, multi-media and decision support technologies within a clinician-friendly Electronic Patient Record (EPR) framework. The AxSys system also allows patients to collaborate with their care givers leading to greater engagement and better outcomes.

Excelicare allows doctors and other healthcare professionals to coordinate care with each other as well as to share a single view of the patient record. AxSys systems are used in over 100 UK NHS Trust sites.

The company has 38 employees at its Glasgow base and is currently recruiting additional staff. AxSys has an offshore development centre in Hyderabad, India where it employs more than 160 staff.

For further information visit www.axsys.co.uk or www.axsyshealth.com

SCCIPA is based in San Jose, California. Its 60,000 members can choose from 280 primary care physicians (practising family practice, internal medicine and paediatrics) and more than 550 specialists. SCCIPA operates like a clinic without walls, linking patients and health plans with an established network of physicians, hospitals, lab, x-ray, physical therapy and other providers.

For more information about PPMSI visit www.ppmsi.com and for SCCIPA visit www.sccipa.com

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