Procuro Inc. Announces Partnership with Howard Computers to Monitor MedCarts with PIMM Solution

Business Wire, August 3, 2004

SAN DIEGO & LAUREL, Miss. -- Procuro(R) Inc., an award-winning, affordable operational monitoring and management solution for small and medium businesses, and Howard Computers, a best-in-breed system builder and creator of one of the most technologically advanced medical carts available, today announced a partnership for Procuro's PIMM(TM) solution. According to the agreement, a custom probe will be built to monitor all of Howard Computers' MedCarts in VA hospitals and other hospitals across the country.

"As the medical community faces the impending Food and Drug Administration (FDA) bar code regulation for human drug, biologic, and blood products, Howard Computers has developed the MedCart to help healthcare providers comply with this rule, while concentrating on what's important -- their patients," said Joe Davis, Director of Services for Howard Computers. "Adding PIMM(TM) to the solution augments the wireless computing, bar code scanning, Howard's proprietary mounting solution and central power source with the ability to monitor all these technologies to make sure that they are always optimized."

By creating a probe for the MedCart, Procuro's PIMM(TM) solution will monitor all of the MedCarts technologies, particularly the power. PIMM(TM) ensures that the hardware, software and applications running on the cart are performing to hospital defined thresholds. Since these MedCarts are battery powered, it is also important to make sure that the MedCarts remain functionally charged. Using a digital I/O to USB converter, PIMM(TM) automatically detects whether the MedCart is on AC or battery power as well as alert the staff to the charging status of that power source. Once PIMM(TM) detects a threshold violation, the appropriate person from the hospital staff or their service provider is notified through the PIMM(TM) advanced alert notification system. The Howard Computer PIMM(TM) will keep the MedCarts alive, allowing the hospital staff to provide the highest level of professional care for their patients.

"Howard Computers' MedCarts will be monitored using Procuro's award-winning PIMM(TM) 'Buddy List' interface, so we'll literally be able to monitor the dispensing of meds on thousands of carts in hundreds of hospitals in dozens of cities across the country," said Vince Gordon, Procuro Chairman and CEO. "By monitoring the carts in this way, we're able to further reduce medication errors, making sure patients are receiving revolutionary medical care."

Procuro's Personal Information Management Monitor (PIMM(TM)) provides a cost-effective management platform specifically built for solution providers to offer a subscription-based managed service to their install base of small and medium size businesses. PIMM(TM) was developed -- based on an easy-to-manage "Buddy List" interface -- to provide businesses with an easy-to-use tool to manage their operational resources in a cost-effective environment. While many competitors focus on IT related monitoring, PIMM(TM) was designed to be platform agnostic by using open source probes for data collection allowing PIMM(TM) to manage any resource using a digital or analog sensor. Therefore, in addition to traditional IT resources like servers; software; databases; and applications, PIMM(TM) can also monitor customer's non-IT operational resources to manage operational devices in their facilities, warehouses, etc., i.e. temperature controlled environments; thermostats; surveillance devices; plant and hospital equipment and more.

Procuro's solution is sold 100 percent through channel partners who sell the product under their own brands, marketing PIMM(TM) as subscription-based services of their own. Proving this model works, Procuro was awarded the System Builder Summit(TM) & VARVision(R)'s Best of VARVision Award(TM) in two coveted categories: Best Channel Partner Program and Best Software at the March '04 event.

About Howard Computers

Howard Computers is the newest division of Howard Industries, Inc. -- a $450 million electrical products company. Howard Industries was founded more than 30 years ago by Billy and Linda Howard. The Howards have grown their core business -- distribution transformers -- into the leader of their industry. Today, Howard Industries' Transformer Division is the number one producer of distribution transformers in the United States and is housed in the largest transformer plant in the world -- 1.6 million square feet.

Howard Computers' products, such as Medical Carts and bar code systems, aid in the reduction of medication errors and are revolutionizing the way that hospital patients receive medical care. Howard Computers can design and build medical carts to meet your exact specifications, and we offer strong support that stands behind this cutting-edge technology. For more information, please visit www.howardcomputers.com.

About Procuro

Vincent P. Gordon, CEO, and Bernard P. Lee, CTO, co-founded Procuro (Latin for "to manage"), Inc., a privately-held Delaware corporation headquartered in San Diego, in April 2001 after spending a combined total of 40 years of hands-on operational experience in the enterprise management space. Their goal was to provide an affordable operational monitoring and management solution for the small and medium business (SMB) market. In order to deliver its services in a cost effective manner and keep tight control over its operational costs, Procuro's distribution channel for PIMM(TM) is exclusively through its network of solution partners. In March of 2004, Procuro was the recipient of System Builder Summit(TM) & VARVision(R)'s Best of VARVision Award(TM) in two coveted categories: Best Channel Partner Program, and Best Software. Procuro is a proud Microsoft (Nasdaq:MSFT) certified partner and was a Bronze Sponsor of the 2004 Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference. For more information, or to find a channel partner in your area visit www.pimm.us.