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After immigrating from Vietnam to the United States in 1975, a former pharmacist went back to school to obtain
a computer science degree from University of New Orleans. In 1985, using her new found skills, she created a billing
software to help her husband manage his anesthesiology practice. The software was named PHYMAG, an acronym for
Physician Management. After several colleagues purchased the software license to do their own billing, she started
Integrated Medical Systems (IMS) from a small town in Leesville, Louisiana.
In 1986, IMS moved to the Dallas-Fort worth metropolitan area. A year later, she retired leaving the company
to her children who are now the principals of the company. Phymag was enhanced with additional features and named
Claimstronic. In 1992, IMS added clearinghouse functionality to service its Claimstronic customers and also to other
clients who are using different practice management software (PMS).
In 1994, IMS was renamed to US Health Data Interchange (USHDI). USHDI subsequently signed direct
connect electronic connectivity contracts with Aetna, Prudential, Metropolitan and Cigna. This soon caught the
attention of FoxMeyer, a major drug distributor with more than six billion dollars a year in gross revenues.
Several months later, FoxMeyer acquired USHDI and invested heavily in it. In 1996, USHDI awarded a contract
to System Xcellent out of Toronto, Canada to build a new state-of-the-art clearinghouse named ECLIPSE. Business
grew quickly as USHDI processed close to a million claims a month.
In 1996, FoxMeyer plans of automating its inventory warehouse failed so badly that the company collapsed leaving
USHDI without needed funding. USHDI was later acquired by ProxyMed from Fort Lauderdale, FL.. ProxyMed
later purchased a claims processing company in California and moved its claims processing center from
Fort Lauderdale to Southern California.
In the meantime, one of USHDI principles and son of IMS' owner started CareNet Systems in Euless, TX.
CareNet Systems was later joined by a second USHDI principle and son in-law of IMS' owner. CareNet Systems provides
similar Practice Management Software and Clearinghouse functions to many of its original clients from Integrated
Medical Systems.
In 1999, Carenet Systems merged with AnviCom, a fast growing Internet application development and network support
company in Fairfax, Virginia. The merger was of no accident. AnviCom's owner is a longtime friend of Carenet
Systems' owner. The merger allows the infusion of funds needed for the development of Claimstronic for Windows and
the creation of FreeClaims.com, the new, third generation and the only free web-based clearinghouse in the country.
After 20 months of investment, technology support and infrastructure development from AnviCom, Inc., the health
care technology division known as AnviCare stands on its own as a company effective June 6, 2001. When the
AnviCare division was formed in October 1999, a result of the merger of Carenet Systems and AnviCom Inc., the
vision was that AnviCom would assist the Carenet principals by providing the technical environment and
engineering resources to take their existing claims clearinghouse and practice management products to the
next generation of technology. With the rollout of FreeClaims.com in January of 2001, and the release
of the Windows-based Claimstronic software, those objectives have been met.
Independent operations will allow AnviCare to capture a larger market share in electronic health care claims
administration and rapid growth is anticipated as a result of their enhanced offerings.
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