FONEMED North America Opens First Continent-Wide Nurse Advice Service

(March 24, 1999) St John’s, Newfoundland - In the latest example of innovation sweeping the Medical Services Industry, FONEMED is opening the world’s most advanced Call Center in Canada to serve all of North America. Newfoundland’s Minister of Industry, Trade and Technology, Sandra C. Kelly officially inaugurates the 24-hour per day nurse advice service in St John’s on March 24th and US Consul General Elo-Kay Ojamaa initiates the toll-free connection to the U.S. on March 26th.

Chief Operating Officer of FONEMED North America, Dr. James Broad stated: "Our combination of highly skilled professionals and the most advanced software packages and medical protocols means we can provide the least expensive, most flexible and reliable service available today."

Minister Kelly noted: " By qualifying for our EDGE business incentive program, FONEMED is able to seize a competitive advantage stemming from Newfoundland’s stable pool of qualified medical professionals and ideal infrastructure for Call Centres." President of FONEMED’s global operations, Ken Bleakley, observed: "The superior service offered by our Canadian Call Center means that FONEMED can now create customized packages for all three of our market segments. Insurers and other payers can now support more appropriate care. Medical practices and other providers can deliver more efficient care. Individuals can now afford reliable medical advice whenever and wherever required."

FONEMED North America is a joint venture of Credentialled Call Centres of Toronto and FONEMED of Colorado Springs. It offers by telephone and Internet: round-the-clock health advice by Registered Nurses using advanced medical algorithms; a comprehensive health library; disease management and wellness programs; health risk assessments and combined medical answering service and clinical evaluation.

The enterprise is a true integration of state-of-the-art advances from throughout the North American Free Trade area. Multi-Media Data Systems of Atlanta supplies the software platform. Dr. Stephen Schueler in collaboration with other members of the American College of Emergency Physicians developed the medical protocols. GlobalMedic of Montreal is providing the sophisticated Internet/Intranet package. AT&T Canada Corp. supplies toll-free service to the U.S. and the Caribbean. FONEMED is cooperating with the American Accreditation Healthcare Commission/URAC to be the first International Medical Call Center to qualify for U.S. accreditation.