The American Pharmacy Alliance and Wholesale Alliance Form Strategic Partnership

8/1/97

August 1, 1997, Lexington, KY - The American Pharmacy Alliance (APA) and Wholesale Alliance, LLC, have reached an agreement through which The APA will serve as the primary data provider to the Pharmacy First Network. Through this arrangement, Pharmacy First takes advantage of an increased use of technology to provide access to cost saving and revenue enhancing programs for its participating pharmacies.

The American Pharmacy Alliance (APA) is a joint venture founded by sixteen leading pharmacy computer companies that supply software and system support services to over 11,000 (about 40%) of the nation's Independent and Small Chain pharmacies. A primary objective of The APA and its software vendor members is to establish the technical uniformity needed to allow pharmacies to profitably compete in a managed care environment, while still being able to maintain the advantages that go along with being an independent business.

The Wholesale Alliance, LLC is headquartered in Minneapolis, MN, serves 24 independent wholesalers in 34 states, and is the sponsor of the Pharmacy First Network. Its members, in conjunction with The APA members will be able to assist their mutual client pharmacies maximize the value that is realized from their drug wholesaler relationships.

"This is an historic landmark agreement for the industry," said Barry M. Krelitz, Executive Director of the Wholesale Alliance. "This agreement will provide for the first time, the opportunity to cross platform with thousands of pharmacies on a national basis." APA President, Karl Steele, states, "APA's unique value is that its stores are networked not just by 'signing up' as with some groups, but functionally through their computer companies and prescription processing systems. APA computer companies build and support the computer systems in these pharmacies, and therefore can strengthen the effectiveness of any network by integrating programs right into the dispensing software".

The American Pharmacy Alliance (APA), formed in March, 1996, is headquartered in Lexington, KY, and provides and manages access to beneficial products and services for independent and small chain pharmacies, their customers and software vendors nationwide. APA member companies are BSI Business Systems, CRX Pharmacy Systems, Condor Corporation, Cost Effective Computer Systems Inc., Digital Simplistics, Etreby Computer Company, Health Business Systems, Interactive Systems & Management, MedE America, North American PACS, PharmAssist, OmniSYS, Opus Core Corporation, QS/1 Data Systems, Transaction Data Systems and VIP Computer Systems.

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"The American Pharmacy Alliance" and "PromptRx" are servicemarks of The American Pharmacy Alliance.

Updated: January 2001