HMS significantly expands presence in Puerto Rico’s hospital market, opens new office and hires local healthcare experts

HMS Puerto Rico to provide island hospitals with fully integrated clinical and financial applications that help improve patient care, financial performance and operating efficiency

NASHVILLE, Tenn., and SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (Oct. 11, 2011)—Healthcare Management Systems Inc.® (HMS) today announced significant expansion into the Puerto Rican market through its new subsidiary, HMS Puerto Rico. The market expansion includes a new office in San Juan and builds on HMS’ successful relationship with the island’s largest provider, the University of Puerto Rico Hospital (UPR). HMS Puerto Rico has also made several strategic hires, including Puerto Rico native Anaida Lopez, a well-known healthcare technology expert and life-long island resident.

HMS’ fully integrated clinical and financial applications will give Puerto Rico’s hospitals immediate access to the data they need to make clinical and financial decisions that improve patient care and safety, enhance revenue and improve efficiency of information management. In addition, HMS’ industry-leading Emergency Department Information System (HMS EDIS powered by MEDHOST) will help hospitals more efficiently triage, track and treat patients who enter through the ED, while ensuring that all services provided are accurately captured and charged.

“HMS will be an excellent partner for Puerto Rico’s hospitals because the company truly understands this healthcare market and is committed to having a strong island workforce that can implement and support the software locally,” said Anaida Lopez, account manager for HMS Puerto Rico. “I am very excited to be part of HMS Puerto Rico, and I look forward to working very hard to build relationships with providers who want to enhance patient care while improving their hospital’s financial health and operating efficiency with meaningful use certified software from HMS.”

HMS already has a solid relationship with Puerto Rican providers, including having partnered with UPR since 2007. UPR currently uses HMS’ core clinical and financial software and will soon implement advanced clinical modules, including computerized provider order entry (CPOE). Additionally, Doctors’ Center Hospital in Manati, Puerto Rico, has been using HMS EDIS since 2007.

Complementing its experience in the Puerto Rican market, HMS has for 27 years provided clinical and financial applications to approximately 700 mainland hospitals that are very similar to the island’s facilities.

“The majority of our mainland customers have the same community-oriented approach that the island’s hospitals take, so HMS is a very good fit for Puerto Rico’s hospitals,” said Bruce Roberson, vice president of sales for HMS. “HMS already has experience meeting the unique needs of the Puerto Rican hospital environment, and we can deliver the right products at a cost that makes sense. HMS is committed to building long-lasting relationships in Puerto Rico.”

The Puerto Rico expansion reflects the positive impact HMS believes it can have on the island’s hospitals.

“HMS can create tremendous value for Puerto Rico’s hospitals by providing integrated and leading-edge healthcare information technology that immediately provides the data needed to make informed clinical and financial decisions,” said Tom Stephenson, president and chief executive officer of HMS. “We are very pleased to be making a sizable investment in the people we’re hiring in Puerto Rico, as well as the office located in San Juan and other physical infrastructure we’re building. HMS looks forward to helping improve the health of Puerto Rico’s patients and the hospitals that care for them.”

HMS is exhibiting at Convención Anual 2011 of La Asociación de Hospitales de Puerto Rico on Oct. 13-14, 2011, in the company’s main booth (#20) and demonstrating products in booths #27 and #28. Local HMS representative Anaida Lopez will be joined by Mike Freeman, HMS senior vice president of sales, and Bruce Roberson, HMS vice president of sales. During the convention, HMS will demonstrate its full suite of integrated clinical and financial applications that help hospitals enhance patient care and safety while improving financial results and operational efficiency.

About HMS
Healthcare Management Systems Inc. (HMS) is a Nashville-based healthcare company that develops, sells and supports integrated clinical and financial hospital information systems and services designed to increase efficiency while improving patient safety. The HMS EHR is 2011/2012 compliant and has been certified by Drummond Group, an ONC-ATCB, in accordance with the applicable certification criteria adopted by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Founded in 1984, HMS currently serves more than 700 community hospitals; behavioral, rehabilitation and long-term acute-care facilities; and multi-entity healthcare organizations nationwide. For more information, please visit www.hmstn.com.

HMS is part of HealthTech Holdings Inc., a health information technology holding company that owns HMS, MEDHOST and Sentry Healthcare Services. HealthTech Holdings’ mission is to acquire and manage technology companies focused on the creation of value for the healthcare industry. More information is available at www.healthtechholdings.com.

News media contact:
Anaida Lopez
HMS Puerto Rico
alopez@hmstn.com
(787) 289-7883