Name of the game is integration, Mediware says

LENEXA, Kan. - Mediware Information Systems expects to have one business management platform for multiple post-acute care providers, including HME, commercially available in January 2015.

“We have solid products, but they're in silos, and we're seeing the lines between those silos blur,” said Thomas Mann, president and CEO. “More and more providers are expanding their growth into vertical adjacent markets and they need to have their infrastructure on one platform.”

Mediware expects to put the new platform, in development for more than two years, through quality assurance testing this summer and beta testing this fall.

The new platform will marry a host of legacy systems, as well as new systems that Mediware has recently acquired, such as Definitive Homecare Solutions and Fastrack. Definitive's CPR+ platform will serve as the foundation of the new platform, Mann says.

“We've done a very exhaustive gap analysis of all our products to determine their strengths so we can capitalize on those strengths,” he said. “One is strong in point of sale; one in billing; one, CPR+, had the largest customer base. This will give us a solid release.”

As part of the new platform, Mediware will offer individual modules to providers who don't do business across multiple markets, says Paul O'Toole, vice president and general manager of Home Care Solutions.

“It will be the same user interface, with one patient index and one patient billing system, but they'll be able to turn on and off certain functions,” he said.

Mediware will also continue to support its legacy systems “through the next couple of months and years,” Mann says, in light of the transition from ICD-9 to ICD-10.

“We'd love to get them on the new platform as soon as they're comfortable,” said Jonathan Seiter, vice president of marketing. “But it's only as soon as they're comfortable. We don't want to force anyone.”

Mann added: “And we're trying to build a product that they'll want to move to.”

While the new platform will incorporate HME, home infusion, specialty pharmacy and home health, Mediware hasn't ruled out adding other markets, such as skilled-nursing, long-term care and rehab, down the road, Mann says.

“We'll consolidate those along with the market,” he said. “With everything moving toward an integrated delivery network, we should be able to capitalize on that.”