Media Advisory -- Optio Executive to Speak at Rural Healthcare Conference in Georgia

Conference Presentation Will Educate Georgia's Rural Health Facilities on Best Practices for Implementing Electronic Health Records


CORDELE, Ga., Dec. 5, 2005 (PRIMEZONE) --

WHAT: Donald H. French, senior vice president of research and development at Optio Software (OTCBB:OPTO), is a featured health information technology speaker on Tues. Dec. 6 at a rural health conference hosted by the Georgia Health Policy Center and Georgia's Office of Rural Health Services.

In French's presentation, titled "Making EHR Affordable for Rural Hospitals," he will discuss the technological and financial obstacles faced by rural healthcare facilities looking to adopt electronic health record systems.

The Capacity Building and Best Practices Conference, held Dec. 5-7 at the Lake Blackshear Resort and Golf Club in Cordele, Ga., will include panel discussions and workshops about how rural health networks and hospitals can improve healthcare quality and access. For conference information, contact Susan Goodman, Georgia Health Policy Center, at 404-463-9341.

WHY: The benefits of an electronic health record system permeate every department within a healthcare facility. From improved productivity and a reduction in medical errors, to faster reimbursement and federal regulation compliance, the EHR has been making a significant impact in large facilities and health networks. However, the resources required to implement such a solution have long challenged small rural facilities.

Optio Healthcare offers an innovative solution to these challenges with a subscription-based EHR model called the Optio QuickRecord(r) Suite. By eliminating the large capital software expense typically associated with healthcare information technology, reducing implementation time, and providing the IT infrastructure needed to access, exchange and modify health information quickly and securely throughout a healthcare facility or system, the Optio QuickRecord Suite is helping healthcare organizations improve quality of care, patient safety and efficiency.

TIME/DATE: French, along with two other healthcare information technology panelists, will speak on Tues., Dec. 6, from 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. The rural health conference runs from Dec. 5-7.

WHERE: Lake Blackshear Resort & Golf Club, Cordele, Ga.

OPPTYS/INTERVIEWS:

Donald H. French, senior vice president, research and development, Optio Software

For further information, please contact:



 Sheryl Roehl, Director, Communications  
 Optio Software  
 3015 Windward Plaza 
 Fairways II
 Alpharetta, GA 30005  
 Voice: (770) 576-3613  
 Email: sroehl@optiosoftware.com  
 www.optiosoftware.com and optiohealthcare.com 

More than 700 healthcare organizations use Optio forms automation and electronic health record solutions to reduce costs, streamline document-driven processes and improve patient safety. For more information, visit www.optiohealthcare.com.