Why IBM is interested (fwd)

[James Love <love@tap.org>]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Mon, 20 Nov 1995 22:33:09 -0500
From: Jeffrey Fox <jf@pipeline.com>
To: James Love <love@essential.org>
Subject: Why IBM is interested

Jamie, 
 I know at least *one* reason why IBM would be REAL interested in
computerization of medical records. As I noted in my October, 1994, report
in Consumer Reports, IBM had a significant stake in the Phsyicians Computer
Network [Consumer Reports, 10/94, p.629] 
 
PCN provides practice management systems [hardware and software] at low
prices to doctors in return for their viewing drug company ads and letting
PCN access their patients' records over the phone. [The latter provision
caused a furor]  At the time I wrote my story, PCN had computer access to
41,000 doctors, about 1 out of 10 office-based doctors in the US. 
 
PCN has been expanding rapidly, with the infusion of more money, by
acquiring competitors. They told me that they planned to reach a third of
all private doctors by 1996. 
 
(I don't know how to post this message to the whole mailing list; you can
re-post it.) 
 
-Jeff