Provincial IT company achieves national recognition

Newfoundland's information technology industry achieved further prominence with the signing, August 15, of a contract between Specialist Solutions of St. Johns and Dalhousie University. The university's Environmental Health Clinic has decided to use Specialist Solution's state-of-the-art software, HealthDesk, to operate its entire clinic.

"This is a good example of how government and business can form partnerships of mutual benefit," said Judy Foote, Minister of Development and Rural Renewal. The department and the former Enterprise Newfoundland and Labrador Corporation have over the past two years provided $256,000 towards the $1.4 million developmental costs of the software. ACOA also assisted the project. A contribution of approximately $800,000 has been made by the principals of the company.

Specialist Solutions Healthdesk software automates many of the tasks found in hospitals and clinics: patient records, prescriptions, referrals and billing. It took 11 person-years to develop. In pre- production form it was judged by Brian Goldman of CBC-TV's "The Health Show" as one of the three best medical software packages in North America.

The Information Technology sector has been targeted by government as an area for growth and diversification of the province's economy. The information technology industry of the province currently consists of 76 companies that employ 1,000 people and generates $100 million a year and shows promise of rapid growth beyond this level.

"Specialist Solutions commercial success is a living example of what we can do to advance the economic prospects of the province," said Ms. Foote, "and clearly demonstrates that we can compete in national and international markets."

Another strategic advantage of promoting the information technology sector is that it is not geographically dependant. While traditional manufacturers prefer to be close to their supplies of materials, energy or their markets, information technology companies can establish almost any place making it an ideal growth industry for Newfoundland and Labrador, and in particular rural areas of the province.

Dr. Roy Fox, Director of the Environmental Health Clinic at Dalhousie, which is purchasing Specialist Solutions software, tested it against 25 competitors and was prepared to wait a year for the commercial version of this product to come to market. "We are on the cutting edge of medicine at Dalhousie and we think this software will keep us there," said Dr. Fox.

Contact: Clifford Grinling, (709) 729-4570.