Preferred Health Technology Chooses Companion Data Services for Data Hosting

COLUMBIA, S.C., Feb. 16 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Preferred Health Technology Inc. (PHT) has selected Companion Data Services (CDS) to provide data center hosting and related services for PHT's A-Claim™ health care and payments-transaction gateway and processing system.

Under a three-year contract with additional one-year renewal options, CDS will provide hosting services for A-Claim on its state-of-the-art IBM z10 series mainframes, using a virtual server configuration in a zLinux environment.

"CDS is very pleased for the opportunity to provide cost-effective hosting services to PHT by utilizing leading-edge hardware and zLinux technology," said Steve Hammons, chief operating officer of Columbia, S.C.-based CDS, which provides information technology services to federal, state and private health care organizations. "We also will provide PHT with technical support for PCs, printers, and its voice and data infrastructure. CDS has broad knowledge and significant expertise in the technology infrastructure we've deployed at PHT."

PHT's A-Claim system helps medical practices and hospitals across the country lower collection costs and improve cash flow by instantly providing up-to-date information on each patient's insurance eligibility, unmet deductible and copayment responsibility. A-Claim also provides secure credit card and check processing at the point of service, as well as automated collection of patient responsibility, eliminating the need for staff to send bills through the mail.

"Given the changing landscape of both the payments and health care business, it was extremely important for us to migrate to a hosting platform that gave us the continued flexibility to easily enhance and upgrade A-Claim, delivered through a portal in a software as a service offering, while providing us the scalability and reliability expected by our customers," said Mary F. Dees, PHT's president and chief operating officer.  

Under the agreement, CDS also will provide computer and telecommunications infrastructure support for PHT's business operations. In addition to hardware services, CDS will provide installation, maintenance, system security, and telephone and help desk support.

"Our business is nationwide in scope, with employees not only in our Carrollton, Texas, headquarters but also located around the country," Dees said. "We chose CDS to maintain all of our technology needs so that we could ensure all of our employees have reliable access to our customer relationship management tools, regardless of where they are based, so they can provide the highest level of service possible for our customers."

About Companion Data Services

Headquartered in Columbia, S.C., CDS offers data center hosting in a technically progressive environment. Developing relationships and encouraging collaboration ensure achievement of its customers' program objectives. CDS and its parent company operate a large, secure health care insurance data center complex, providing services for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, TRICARE, the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program, and Medicare Advantage health plans, as well as other private health plans. CDS has offices in Columbia, S.C., Dallas and Denison, Texas, and Baltimore. For more information, visit www.CompanionDataServices.com.

About Preferred Health Technology Inc.

Headquartered in Carrollton, Texas, PHT provides electronic payment and transaction-processing services for the health care industry, including real-time eligibility verification, real-time claims adjudication, real-time and recurring payment-processing services for credit and debit cards, and check and Automated Clearing House (ACH) services for electronic funds transfer. For more information, visit www.A-Claim.com.

SOURCE Companion Data Services