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  • Pharmvision Targets Malaysian Market with Palm Powered Mobile Procurement Solution.

    Pharmvision Ventures Sdn Bhd, a group purchasing organisation servicing clinics, private hospitals and independent pharmacies in Malaysia, has selected the Palm OS® platform and Palm Powered™ handheld computers to power a mobile procurement solution targeted at Malaysia's pharmaceutical sector.

    The Pharmvision mProcurement System has enabled the company to enhance communications and increase sales transactions with its customer base, especially those located in geographically remote areas, and helps pharmacists gain speedy access to the latest product information, perform secure online transactions and track purchase status from Palm Powered handhelds.

  • "Palm handhelds have an intuitive interface that minimises training time and end-user error, so we didn't need to increase our IT headcount to deploy this solution."

    Dr. P.A. Lee
    CEO/CTO
    Pharmvision

    The Challenge
    Pharmvision caters to the product-inventory needs of more than 500 independent pharmacies, 22 private hospitals and approximately 3,000 clinics in Malaysia. The company already makes available to these customers the Pharmvision eProcurement System, located at Pharmvision.com, that features a catalogue of fast-moving pharmaceutical goods, online purchasing and self-service CRM tools, and sales and marketing information.

    Pharmvision sought to leverage its extensive domain expertise and secure an advantage by placing the information resident in this successful e-procurement system into the hands of customers, using a pervasive mobile solution platform as a companion to its existing web-based solution.

    "We decided on a mobile solution using Palm Powered handhelds, as pharmacists are busy people, dedicated to the needs of their customers. Often they don't have time to sit down in front of a PC, or the PC may be located at home," explained Dr. P. A. Lee, CEO/CTO of Pharmvision.

    "The Pharmvision mProcurement System for the Palm OS platform operates on a 'store and forward' principle, allowing pharmacists to enter procurement transactions during the course of a working day, then upload these transactions to Pharmvision.com in a single dial-up session. It's a fast, simple and inexpensive solution for our customers," Dr. Lee stated.

    The Solution
    The company selected products based on the Palm OS platform, including Palm® Vx handhelds, to form the basis of the Pharmvision mProcurement System.

    The mobile component of the Pharmvision mProcurement System needed to integrate seamlessly with the company's existing web-based application server and back-end database server.

    IBM's Mobile Connect software, leveraging the connectivity inherent in all Palm Powered handhelds, supports a dial-up connection to the Internet. Mobile Connect client software completes a link with the Pharmvision mProcurement System via the Mobile Connect server, and the order is processed and fulfilled.

    Pharmvision's decision to select Palm OS platform technologies, including Palm handhelds, was based on the company's desire to deploy a handheld solution that was flexible, robust and future-proof.

    "We sought to adopt technology that can evolve with us and continue to deliver value as we support our customers into the future," Dr. Lee stated.

    "The extensive range of software available from the Palm developer community was a drawcard, as was the flexibility of the platform and openness of the development environment. The credibility of the Palm brand has also assisted in encouraging end-user uptake," Dr. Lee continued.

    Pharmvision also wished to deploy a solution that would help maximise end-user uptake by offering the least challenging learning curve.

    "Palm handhelds have an intuitive interface that minimises training time and end-user error, so we didn't need to increase our IT headcount to deploy this solution," explained Dr. Lee.

    "Together with our custom software and a snap-on wireline modem, pharmacists have access to a reliable handheld solution. Palm handhelds also feature a range of useful core productivity applications that are proving attractive to users," Dr. Lee stated.

    The Pharmvision mProcurement System for the Palm OS platform was developed in-house based on input from the company's pharmacists, who contributed significant industry expertise.

    The Outcome
    Pharmvision commenced deployment of the Pharmvision mProcurement System for the Palm OS platform at the end of 2001 with an initial group of users in private hospitals and independent pharmacies. The company expects to significantly accelerate deployment of the solution from early 2002, and anticipates uptake of 300 units in Malaysia by the end of the first quarter.

    The company is considering expanding into other markets, including Thailand, Hong Kong and the Philippines, and the user base of the Pharmvision mProcurement System for the Palm OS platform is expected to grow in 2002.

    "We believe in using technology to drive greater efficiency and profits, an aspiration shared by our customers, and consistent with the scalability of our business model," said Dr. Lee. "The flexibility to place and review orders from a handheld is attractive to pharmacists, whose primary focus is always their customers."

    "The availability of the Pharmvision mProcurement System for the Palm OS platform reflects the accelerating momentum of enterprise handheld uptake," said Chng Poh Hwa, regional director, Asia Pacific, Palm, Inc. "Companies in many industries are increasing efficiency, productivity and customer satisfaction by deploying solutions based on the Palm OS platform."

    About Pharmvision
    Pharmvision is a venture-capital backed pharmaceutical group purchasing organisation servicing member independent pharmacies, private hospitals and clinics in Malaysia, with the view of expanding into the Asia Pacific region. Pharmvision sees an opportunity to achieve competitive pricing through bulk buying initiatives by lowering unit costs of fast-moving ethical products for its member buyers in the region. The company presently stocks and distributes over 1,500 ethical, over-the-counter (OTC) and personal care products.

    Pharmvision has developed core technologies: the Pharmvision eProcurement System, Pharmvision mProcurement System and Pharmvision eWarehouse System to e-enable its business, to enhance profits and increase efficiency in back-room operations.

    For more information on Pharmvision, visit: http://www.pharmvision.com.