IBM and Lawson Software Form Global Strategic Alliance to Deliver E-Business Solutions to Healthcare Insurers

Business Wire, Feb 22, 2001

Business Editors & Technology Writers

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. & ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 22, 2001

eServer-Based Web Solutions and Implementation Services

to Improve Efficiency of Customers' Enterprise Management

IBM (NYSE:IBM) and Lawson Software today announced a global strategic alliance to deliver comprehensive e-business solutions to major healthcare insurers. IBM and Lawson Software provide comprehensive solutions to reduce costs, increase profits and maintain a high level of customer loyalty and satisfaction through a seamless integration of IBM and Lawson offerings.

Benefits can be achieved through a joint solution combining IBM implementation services, award-winning eServers, e-business middleware and expertise with Lawson Software's e-business management solutions used by some of the world's largest healthcare and retail customers.

Lawson and IBM are leveraging their experience and superior customer service to provide e-business solutions to leading healthcare providers such as Maine Medical Center. The same expertise will help extend the joint offering into the payor/insurer segment.

"Implementing Lawson software with IBM implementation services allowed us to achieve our objectives in a quality manner," said Jerry Edson, chief information officer, Maine Medical Center.

Under the terms of the agreement, the two companies will jointly market and sell Lawson's lawson.insight(TM) e-Business Management System running on all IBM eServers and leveraging the WebSphere platform and DB2 database.

"Today's healthcare insurance companies are looking to see how integrated e-business solutions can improve operations and reduce costs," said Russell J. Ricci, general manager, IBM Global Healthcare Industry. "Lawson Software's enterprise e-business applications combined with IBM's e-business infrastructure products, consulting and integration services practice, provide a total solution for healthcare payor companies who want to increase efficiencies and better serve their customers."

"IBM has consistently offered the innovative technologies needed to support the kind of reliable, secure and versatile connectivity demanded by e-business in the healthcare industry," said Felicia Guity, vice president of Strategic Alliances, Lawson Software. "These technologies and services are crucial to our customers' abilities to deploy mission-critical e-business offerings. We offer more e-business solutions on IBM than any of our competitors and will use this new initiative to bring an even better range of products and services to our global customer base."

Lawson Software is the leading provider of e-business enterprise software solutions to the healthcare industry, including integrated delivery networks, managed care systems, academic medical centers, hospitals, clinics, physician group practices, home healthcare, long-term care and other health services enterprises. Lawson counts more than 400 healthcare organizations, including eight of the top ten integrated delivery networks, among its customers. Lawson's healthcare solutions include fully integrated application engines for financials, human resources, procurement/supply chain and analytics. Lawson's healthcare solutions also integrate features such as Case Carts, Par Inventory, Fund Accounting, Credentials & Compliance Administration and role-based Performance Indicators designed to meet the specific needs of the healthcare industry. Lawson is among the fastest growing vendors in the healthcare information systems marketplace.

The Lawson Software strategic alliance is another example of IBM's commitment to go-to-market with leading independent software vendors through the PartnerWorld for Developers program (www.developer.ibm.com). These alliances target industries such as financial services, retail and manufacturing, and solution segments including enterprise resource planning, supply chain management, customer relationship management and business intelligence. The goal is to provide customers with leading e-business solutions and developers with access to new customers and revenue opportunities through IBM's marketing, sales and solutions resources. In return, developers commit to lead with IBM's middleware, server platforms and services.

A History of Working Together

Lawson Software has had formal relationships with IBM eServer divisions since its inception twenty-five years ago. Lawson also has worked closely with IBM's Lotus Division, and has won the IBM Partner Top Contributor award. Today's announcement enhances the key relationship allowing IBM and Lawson Software to jointly deliver complete solutions, including hardware, software and services to customers.

About IBM PartnerWorld for Developers

Software application developers receive support from IBM's PartnerWorld for Developers (www.developer.ibm.com) - a worldwide program designed to help software developers reach broader markets, lower their costs of doing business and take their products to market faster.

About IBM

IBM is the world's largest information technology (IT) company and provider of IT services, as well as a preeminent technology partner to the world's financial services industry. Working directly with its financial services customers, IBM helps them become more competitive through the innovative deployment of high-impact solutions. These solutions comprise the full range of IBM capabilities including consulting, software, hardware, research and services. Additional information can be found at www.ibm.com/solutions/financialservices.>