Merger puts HCDS on larger stage

EAST SYRACUSE - Health Care Data Systems (HCDS) will benefit from the merger of two physicianrun, medical-service companies.

HCDS, located at 6390 Fly Road in East Syracuse, creates datamanagement systems for the healthcare industry. Its expertise is in providing systems to medical offices,

That software had been marketed by Wang Healthcare, which on Nov. 7 - merged with Physician Strategies, LLC to form Integrated Healthware, LLC, Both companies were located in Massachusetts.

As part of the merger, HCDS' software will be more prominently marketed in the systems Integrated Healthware sells its customers, which currently number 500 physician practices across the United States. The combined company's larger customer base means HCDS software will be sold to more physicians, says Diane Marino, a spokeswoman for Integrated Healthware.

HCDS is a division of Saratoga Springs-based Flow Management Technologies. Its flagship software product, "Entity," is a new-generation Microsoft Windows-based, practice-management system used in physician offices and clinics.

Entity handles patient registration, appointment scheduling, billing, accounts-receivable management, reporting, and electronic medical records. HCDS has been developing medical-practice-management systems for more than 20 years. The company also provides accounts-receivable management and appointment-scheduling systems and services for physicians in 14 states.