Lawson Enterprise Applications Help Healthcare Organizations Move to GS1 Standards

Lawson helping to lead transition to industry-wide data standards, equipping healthcare organizations to battle escalating supply costs

ST. PAUL, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Lawson Software (Nasdaq: LWSN - News) today announced a series of updates to the Lawson S3 Supply Chain Management suite that will help healthcare organizations adopt GS1 industry standards. The GS1 organization, formerly known as the Uniform Code Council, is the leading global standards organization for the healthcare industry. GS1 standards for healthcare focus on location identification and product identification standards for a wide range of items in a healthcare organization’s supply chain. By applying data standards in the supply chain, healthcare organizations can reduce supply costs, eliminate ordering and procurement errors, improve patient care and safety, and help ensure critical supplies and resources are available at the point of care.

A lack of industry-wide product identification standards has hampered the healthcare industry’s ability to improve supply chain efficiency and accuracy. Inconsistent data may lead to a wide range of challenges, from supply outages to needless duplicate supply orders. As a product moves through the supply chain, it may be given multiple identifiers, leading to confusion and a greater chance of errors. By using standardized product identification codes, healthcare organizations can more accurately locate and identify supplies as they are ordered, received, distributed and utilized throughout the organization.

The updates to version 9.0.1 of the Lawson S3 Supply Chain Management suite make it easier for a healthcare organization to adopt GS1 standards by simplifying management of “item master” files with consistent product identification numbers. This is achieved through the use of Global Trade Item Numbers (GTIN) and supporting standard location and account identifiers using the Global Location Number (GLN). This data will be used consistently, shared among healthcare providers, group purchasing organizations and suppliers that have adopted GS1 standards.

“The retail industry has been successful in adopting GS1 standards with consistent product identification for many years through the use of the now-ubiquitous UPC barcodes on packaging. The move to GS1 standards for healthcare follows the same concept,” said Keith Lohkamp, product strategist for Lawson. “Lawson has been active in a variety of GS1 committees to help shape the standards for the healthcare industry. Through the use of Lawson enterprise applications and the GS1 expertise of Lawson Professional Services, we’ve made it simpler for a healthcare organization to adopt industry standards. Ultimately, this helps hospitals be much more efficient, effective and accurate in supply chain management, which translates to cost savings and improved care.”

With upcoming industry ‘sunrise’ dates of 2010 and 2012 for adoption of GLN and GTIN respectively, many healthcare organizations need to move quickly toward full adoption of standards. Resource Optimization & Innovation (ROi), an operating division of the Sisters of Mercy Health System, is already incorporating GS1 standards into its supply chain practices. The healthcare organization operates hospitals, physician practices, outpatient clinics, health plans, and other health and human services across Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. Based in St. Louis, Sister of Mercy is the eighth-largest Catholic health care system in the United States.

As part of its adoption of GS1 standards, ROi of the Sisters of Mercy now includes support for GS1 standards in its supplier requirements. It has also enumerated its GLNs across the organization. “Lawson has developed an encompassing solution to help healthcare organizations adopt GS1 standards,” said Alex Zimmerman, director of supply chain information management for ROi of the Sisters of Mercy. “Lawson is not only supporting the standards, but is also acting as a thought leader on this topic. By delivering solutions that foster GS1 adoption and educating the healthcare community on the need for standards, Lawson is helping to dispel any confusion about the benefits of standards for our industry.”

“The benefits of GS1 standards underscore how important it is that the entire healthcare industry looks closely at standardization,” said Jim Catalino, general manager, healthcare, for Lawson. “At a time when cost containment in healthcare is a national priority, Lawson is committed to working collaboratively to help make it possible for our customers to more readily and easily adopt GS1 standards.”

About Lawson Software

Lawson Software provides software and service solutions to 4,500 customers in equipment service management and rental, fashion, food & beverage, healthcare, manufacturing & distribution, public sector (United States), service industries, and strategic human capital management across 40 countries. Lawson Software is a global provider of enterprise software, services and support to customers primarily in three sectors: services, trade and manufacturing/distribution. Lawson’s solutions include Enterprise Performance Management, Human Capital Management, Supply Chain Management, Enterprise Resource Planning, Customer Relationship Management, Manufacturing Resource Planning, Enterprise Asset Management and industry-tailored applications. Lawson solutions assist customers in simplifying their businesses or organizations by helping them streamline processes, reduce costs and enhance business or operational performance. Lawson is headquartered in St. Paul, Minn., and has offices around the world. Visit Lawson online at www.lawson.com. For Lawson’s listing on the First North exchange in Sweden, Remium AB is acting as the Certified Adviser.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements that contain risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements contain statements of intent, belief or current expectations of Lawson Software and its management. Such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future results and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from the potential results discussed in the forward-looking statements. The company is not obligated to update forward-looking statements based on circumstances or events that occur in the future. Risks and uncertainties that may cause such differences include but are not limited to: uncertainties in uncertainties in the software industry; uncertainties as to when and whether the conditions for the recognition of deferred revenue will be satisfied; increased competition; general economic conditions; the impact of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; continuation of the global credit crisis; global military conflicts; terrorist attacks; pandemics, and any future events in response to these developments; changes in conditions in the company's targeted industries and other risk factors listed in the company's most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Lawson assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained in this press release.

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