IMS HEALTH's Erisco Managed Care Technologies Unit and Deloitte Consulting Announce Strategic Alliance; Companies to Offer Comprehensive Managed Care Enterprise Solutions

Business Wire, Sept 20, 1999

LONDON--(BW HealthWire)--Sept. 20, 1999--

IMS HEALTH's Erisco Managed Care Technologies unit and Deloitte Consulting, one of the world's largest management consulting firms, have formed a strategic alliance to serve the evolving information technology needs of managed care organizations (MCOs). The move will enable Erisco, a leading provider of technology-based business solutions for the managed care industry, and Deloitte Consulting to deliver integrated, enterprise-wide applications. The companies also will work together to extend the implementation of Facets(R), Erisco's client/server-based solution for payer managed care administration. IMS HEALTH is the world's leading provider of information solutions to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.

The alliance leverages Erisco's experience in serving the technology needs of MCOs with Deloitte Consulting's sophisticated project management and system implementation methodologies, translating into more cost effective IT enterprise transformation solutions.

"Progressive MCOs understand that information technology has become a strategic tool for delivering results," said Cynthia Patterson, the Deloitte Consulting principal leading the alliance with Erisco. "To achieve this, a closer alignment of business, people, process and technology needs to happen. This new alliance will further strengthen Erisco's ability to help customers achieve bottom-line benefits from system implementations."

Patterson said Deloitte Consulting's overall methodologies and tools are geared toward reducing systems implementation cycle time and cost, reducing client information systems project risk, maximizing return on investment, and delivering business results.

"This is a significant step in our goal to deliver a technology package that boosts productivity and efficiency in today's complex, increasingly competitive managed care marketplace," added John Jordan, vice president of sales at Erisco. "We're forming a powerful combination that brings together Erisco's proven technology with Deloitte Consulting's unmatched knowledge of the managed care industry, enriching our ability to provide customers with a seamless, end-to-end solution."

Deloitte Consulting and Erisco already have demonstrated their success in facilitating Facets implementations at several mutual client sites, including HealthNow, an MCO formed by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Plans of Western NY. "We were looking to organizations like Deloitte Consulting and Erisco to design and implement an effective managed care administration system for us," said HealthNow CIO Gary Kerl. "The combination of one of the world's top consulting firms with Erisco's industry-leading software can only strengthen their ability to put technology to work for customers."

Deloitte Consulting is one of the world's top management consulting firms, providing services to transform an entire enterprise - the strategy, processes, information technology, and people. Deloitte Consulting focuses on the realization that changing business processes is necessary to achieve the promised returns from strategy and technology.

With more than 1,700 professionals, the Deloitte Consulting Health Care Practice is a trusted business advisor to over two-thirds of the top 25 HMOs (as ranked by InterStudy Competitive Edge) and more than 50 percent of the country's Blue Cross Blue Shield plans.

Deloitte Consulting is an integral part of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, one of the world's leading professional services firms, delivering world-class assurance and advisory, tax, and consulting services. More than 82,000 people in over 130 countries serve nearly one-fifth of the world's largest companies as well as large national enterprises, public institutions, and successful fast-growing companies.

Founded in 1968, Erisco Managed Care Technologies is a leading provider of software-based business solutions and services for managed care organizations. Its innovative information technology solutions serve HMOs, PPOs, Blue Cross Blue Shield organizations and managed indemnity organizations, which currently manage healthcare administration for more than 35 million lives worldwide.

IMS HEALTH is the world's leading provider of information solutions to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. With $1.2 billion in 1998 revenue, IMS HEALTH operates in over 90 countries. IMS HEALTH is the largest pharmaceutical manufacturer information partner, with over 40 years' experience in the industry. Key products and services integral to customer day-to-day operations include: market research for prescription and over-the-counter pharmaceutical products; sales management information to optimize sales force productivity; technology-enabled selling solutions for sales and marketing decision making; and technology systems and information services that support managed care organizations. Additional information and previous press releases are available at the IMS HEALTH Web site: http://www.imshealth.com.

All names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Editor's Note: Visit the Deloitte Consulting press room at www.dc.com for recent news releases and additional company information. Additional information on Erisco can be obtained from its Web site: www.erisco.imshealth.com.