Columbia/HCA Healthcare to use Drexler Technology's LaserCard to enable 50,000 Florida residents to carry computerized medical records

Business Wire, Dec 12, 1995

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 12, 1995--Drexler Technology Corp. (NASDAQ:DRXR) announced today that Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp. (NYSE:COL) will use Drexler's wallet-sized LaserCard optical memory cards to enable 50,000 Florida residents to carry their personal, computerized medical records.

A field trial of the Patient Information Communication System (PICS) will begin at several Columbia/HCA hospitals in Florida, which will be LaserCard equipped at admission stations and other areas.

Typically, LaserCard medical records programs are used to speed up hospital admissions, expedite emergency treatment, ease the information burden on elderly patients, and facilitate prompt and accurate diagnoses by providing timely and comprehensive medical data to attending physicians.

The first 10,000 LaserCard optical memory cards will be delivered this month, and a majority of the remaining 40,000 card order is expected to be released for shipment by the conclusion of Drexler's fiscal fourth quarter ending March 31, 1996. The order was placed by Florida Software Systems Inc., which developed PICS and is an affiliate of Columbia/HCA.

Use of these cards can protect patient privacy and confidentiality because the highly secure cards are unreadable except with authorized access to special equipment, software, and other security safeguards.

Drexler's patented LaserCard is the size of a standard credit card, yet holds 4 megabytes of data -- for storing information such as transaction data, text, software, photographs, document images, and medical images (x-rays, MRIs, and CT scans). A personal computer and a card reader/writer are used for recording and reading these counterfeit-resistant, nonvolatile, highly flexible plastic cards. The LaserCard offers high data security, a permanent audit trail of data changes, and on-line or off-line capability.

Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corp., headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., owns over 320 hospitals nationwide and is the world's largest private operator of hospitals and surgery centers. Florida Software Systems, Inc., based in Clearwater, Florida, is a computer systems integrator and custom software provider.

Drexler Technology Corp. and its wholly owned subsidiary, LaserCard Systems Corp., are based in Mountain View. Drexler manufactures LaserCard(R) optical memory cards, and LaserCard Systems develops optical card systems and related software. -0-

Note to Editors: LaserCard is a registered trademark of Drexler Technology Corp. for optical memory cards.

CONTACT: Drexler Technology Corp.

J.P. Protsik, 415/969-7277