Hipaa Accelerator and PricewaterhouseCoopers to Provide Comprehensive HIPAA Privacy Solutions

Business Wire, June 13, 2002

Health/Medical Writers

CHICAGO--(BW HealthWire)--June 13, 2002

Hipaa Accelerator Inc. the leading provider of HIPAA privacy software, and PricewaterhouseCoopers' Healthcare Consulting Practice today announced an alliance to provide strategic planning, development, and deployment of integrated business and technical systems for HIPAA compliance.

The companies will combine the extensive HIPAA expertise and consulting services of PricewaterhouseCoopers with the industry leading software products and integration services of Hipaa Accelerator to provide complete HIPAA privacy solutions for the healthcare marketplace.

The requirement for HIPAA compliance presents major challenges for the U.S. healthcare industry. According to the American Hospital Association, HIPAA could cost the industry as much as $22.5 billion over the next several years. Further, the compliance deadline for HIPAA's most contentious set of regulations, the privacy provisions, are less then one year away. The alliance between Hipaa Accelerator and PricewaterhouseCoopers is designed to directly address these issues for customers by reducing both the costs and timeframes associated with compliance. Additionally, the synergy of the two companies provides customers with a complete end-to-end HIPAA privacy solution, from gap analysis through technical implementation.

PricewaterhouseCoopers brings an interdisciplinary, holistic approach to HIPAA. They treat HIPAA as a business opportunity, not just a compliance issue. Further, their HIPAA gap and process analysis expertise is unrivaled. Dr. Bill Braithwaite, a director in PwC's National HIPAA Advisory Group, directed the drafting of the HIPAA regulations for the DHHS. "We are extremely pleased to be providing HIPAA solutions with PricewaterhouseCoopers," says John Cerwin, President of Hipaa Accelerator. "The combined services of our mutual organizations complement each other very well, and will provide tremendous value to our customers."

Hipaa Accelerator's software is in the unique position of being the only enterprise-ready system built specifically for HIPAA privacy. The software is designed to reduce customer's implementation timeframes as well as the costs associated with compliance. Rhys Jones, Director of HIPAA Privacy Services at PricewaterhouseCoopers commented "Hipaa Accelerator's solution provides that missing element that many large healthcare organizations are looking for - a software product that simplifies and automates many of HIPAA privacy's more cumbersome and potentially expensive provisions. The combination of our services will provide unrivaled benefits for our clients."

About Hipaa Accelerator:

Chicago-based Hipaa Accelerator, Inc. is the first software and consulting services company dedicated exclusively to providing HIPAA solutions. Their enterprise HIPAA software enables customers to easily manage HIPAA privacy compliance and its associated costs by automating or simplifying many of the mandated regulatory tasks. The software includes features such as automated protected health information aggregation and reporting, disclosure tracking and reporting, and authorization generation and tracking. To learn more about Hipaa Accelerator's products and services contact John Cerwin (cerwinj@hipaaccelerator.com) or Mike Beedle (beedlem@hipaaccelerator.com), or visit us at www.hipaaccelerator.com.

About PricewaterhouseCoopers

PricewaterhouseCoopers (www.pwcglobal.com) is the world's largest professional services organization. Drawing on the knowledge and skills of more than 150,000 people in 150 countries, the firm helps clients solve complex business problems and measurably enhances their ability to build value, manage risk and improve performance in an Internet-enabled world.

Dedicated to HIPAA Support

PricewaterhouseCoopers HIPAA Advisory Services practice provides comprehensive support in: 1) training, education and strategic planning, 2) transaction, code set and unique identifier services and solutions, 3) security services and solutions, 4) privacy services and solutions that integrate HIPAA and other privacy initiatives, and 5) large project management tools and expertise.

PricewaterhouseCoopers refers to the US firm of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and other members of the worldwide PricewaterhouseCoopers organization.

Editorial Note:

PricewaterhouseCoopers and Hipaa Accelerator will be presenting their comprehensive HIPAA privacy and IT solutions at the Emerging Technologies and Healthcare Innovations Congress, Washington D.C. (6/19/02 - 6/21/02) Booth 511-513