An application that is downloaded from the Web each time it is run. The advantage is that the application can be run from any computer, and the software is routinely upgraded and maintained by the hosting organization rather than each individual user. Co-founder Dr. Fernand Taras said the seed for GlobalMedic came from his days as a general practitioner at a Montreal hospital. GlobalMedic was born to solve this problem by giving patients a decision-support system on the Internet. For the corporate client, there are health-management programs that reduce administration costs.
Doctors can also cut costs by using an invoicing system for billing government or insurance firms.
A new portal set for launch in early August will provide continuing education, practice management software and B2B e-commerce supplies, as well as a medical records service to physicians. GlobalMedic also has major branding exposure through its presence on AOL Canada Services Inc.'s health care portal, and through a partnership to manage the dot-com health site for AltaVista Canada. Dr. Taras is aiming for 70 per cent of the corporate market in Canada within three years, up from about 10 per cent today. In the United States, which currently accounts for about 30 per cent of revenue, the goal is 30 per cent of the corporate market within three years from a few percentage points today.