VERTICAL MARKETS: Via Christi selects AMS' document management and workflow system

American Management Systems (AMS, Fairfax, VA) will expand its existing implementation of AMS' AccountLink document management and workflow application for the Via Christi Regional Medical Center (Wichita, Kansas). AMS will install additional hardware and software, including document imaging platform components from FileNet (Costa Mesa, CA), for Via Christi's 470-bed St. Joseph Campus. AMS will also provide implementation and systems integration services, nearly doubling the size of a previous system installed at Via Christi's 621-bed St. Francis Campus in 1995. "AccountLink is an important element of our patient accounting infrastructure," said Via Christi CIO Gary Strong. *

HCIA deploys Cognos solution

Healthcare information content company HCIA (Baltimore) has deployed Cognos' (Burlington, MA) DataMerchant and PowerPlay server products in its active content Web-based data delivery products. Active content delivers information from HCIA's database of 325 million patient discharge records to state hospital associations, managed care organizations, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers and large consulting firms. Financial details of the deal were not disclosed. The agreement allows HCIA to "leverage technology to strengthen our competitive advantage in custom healthcare data analysis and delivery," said HCIA Chairman and CEO George D. Pillari. *

Keyflow goes big in Mexico

The Mexican agency responsible for tax collection, Servicios de Administracion Tributaria (SAT), has purchased 1,514 seats and 75 servers of Keyfile's (Nashua, NH) Keyflow solution. SAT needed a workflow solution, compatible with its newly implemented Microsoft Exchange platform, that would manage all department data efficiently. Before Keyflow, the data was gathered by collecting and carrying it from person to person. SAT's "data and process control requirements resulted in a high-cost manual system. Keyflow's uniquely powerful and flexible process management software significantly reduced the use of paper. With Keyflow in place, individuals can use the workflow graphics to proceed with a workflow. No programming is required," said Jorge Molina, distributor with Industrias Digitales. *

Waterworks eased by solution

Managing 50 of Florida's sewage systems and 110 water systems can be a messy business. Florida Water Services of Orlando wanted to build an internal dam--something that would allow it to control, organize and use the information in its documents that range from engineering drawings to operating records.

Already running on a Windows system, Florida Water is turning to Intertech Information Management's (Atlanta) DocuPact 3.1 document management system for Windows NT.

"This melds so well into usage of the desktop. It's not another product we have to learn to use," said Steven Stroup, project manager for Florida Water. "The culture shock or learning curve was very little." With DocuPact, the company can pull up site drawings and background information, notations and other facts about Florida's water and sewer plants.

Florida Water purchased a five-user concurrent license and is using it in the engineering department first. Other departments are "waiting to see if we fly or go down in flames," said Stroup.

Florida Water previously used a document management system composed of products from three vendors that couldn't seem to coordinate and resulted in "a lot of finger pointing," according to Stroup, who added that the new system's single point of responsibility is an advantage. *

VAR agreement for financial industry

Unisys (Blue Bell, PA) and Financialware (Indianapolis), a provider of software solutions for community banks, have signed a value added reseller (VAR) agreement. Financialware will remarket Unisys Aquanta Windows NT-based servers and the Unisys line of document processors with its ImageSelect line of products for check imaging and banking research solutions. "Driving the full line of Unisys Windows NT-based products as well as the Unisys document processors from the DP30-ENC to the NDP1825 extends our electronic deliverables to a wide range of institutions," said Charles Myers, president of Financialware. Scott Clark, VP and general manager for Unisys Business Solutions Organization, said that the deal "will benefit existing and prospective financial industry customers." *

Insurance company to evaluate needs

Frankenmuth Mutual Insurance (Frankenmuth, MI) has signed an agreement with AcroSoft (Columbia, SC) to conduct an electronic information management business needs analysis. AcroSoft will start with a look at the claims handling division and then proceed throughout the organization to understand and prepare for the implementation of a virtual filing, imaging and distributed object management software solution. It is estimated that the BNA will be completed before the end of 1997. *

Investment firm selects Plexus Workflow system

Investment firm Edward Jones (St. Louis) has purchased a Java-based workflow solution from Plexus (Sunnyvale, CA), a division of BancTec (Dallas). The agreement calls for Plexus to install its FloWare and Java Business Objects++ software to automate Edward Jones' 3,800-plus branch office support systems across the country. The applications will be developed and piloted through the first half of 1998, with full deployment scheduled through the second half of 1998 and 1999. Edward Jones plans expansion of the system to more than 10,000 of its worldwide branches by 2003 or 2004. The system "will be the key building blocks" in Edward Jones' expansion of its branch office support system structure, said Edward Jones CIO Rich Malone. *

The ultimate data exchanging machine

BMW MC (Spartanburg, SC) has chosen InterData Access (Westchester, IL) to help optimize data exchange processes in the production of BMW's Z3 Roadster. The Data Exchange Manager (DXM), a process control tool for exchanging CAD/CAM/PDM information, will create an automatic data exchange highway for BMW engineers. Cost reductions and timely delivery of design information are the key selling points for the product, according to Martin Korn, onsite data exchange specialist at BMW MC. *

Petrochemical company selects solution

Phillips Petroleum (Bartlesville, OK) has ordered a worldwide, unlimited use license of Identitech's (Melbourne, FL) FYI solution. Philips will employ the full suite for imaging, electronic document management, workflow, full-text retrieval and Identitech's NetFYI, an intranet/Internet document management and workflow solution. "Standardizing on one product across all departments allows us to provide one solution for all needs, thus drastically reducing training, maintenance and long-term technical support costs," said Gary McNeill of Phillips Petroleum. The solution is being used in several applications for Phillips, including human resources, property tax, real estate and engineering documents. Phillips and Identitech will also work toward a global records management solution so the petrochemical company can combine and manage records from one system