Toronto Stock Exchange Symbol: SXCFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASESYSTEMS XCELLENCE ANNOUNCES NEW CONTRACT WITH FIRST HEALTH GROUPMulti-year agreement to provide additional software, services MILTON, ON, February 10, 2003 -- Systems Xcellence, Inc. (“SXC” or the “Company”) (TSX: SXC) a leading provider of healthcare information technology solutions throughout the pharmaceutical benefits supply chain, today announced that it has been selected by First Health Group Corp. (“First Health”) to provide additional software solutions, implementation services, development and related services in support of First Health’s expanding commercial pharmacy benefit management business. Under the terms of the agreement, SXC will provide additional licensed software for First Health’s commercial use of RxCLAIM®-p Series Pharmacy Benefit System (formerly marketed as HX-PBS). Both the licensed software and services will be delivered over an 18-24 month period. SXC has provided software and services to First Health’s wholly-owned subsidiary, First Health Services Corporation (“Services”), since April 2000. "With this contract, we are building upon our successes with Services in the Medicaid market and our other commercial implementations of RxCLAIM®-p. This contract will enable First Health to expand its pharmacy benefit services, such as membership identification and enrollment, drug interaction and utilization, billing and payments, eligibility and claims adjudication,” said Mike Bennof, Senior Vice President, Strategic Accounts at SXC. “First Health has been an important and valued customer to SXC for several years,” added Gordon Glenn, President & CEO of SXC. “This agreement is an extension of our earlier commitment and we look forward to continuing to support First Health in their growth initiatives,” added Mr. Glenn. About First Health First Health, the United States’ premier health-benefits services company, specializes in providing large payers with integrated managed care solutions. First Health, headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, is a unique national managed care company serving the group health, workers’ compensation and state agency markets. Using technology to enable service and managed care innovations, First Health sets the bar for industry performance. A wholly-owned subsidiary, First Health Services is one of the nation’s leading providers of health care management and administration to public sector clients, serving state Medicaid programs, health agencies, mental health agencies, pharmacy benefit programs and specialty programs for the elderly, children and other vulnerable populations. For more information, visit the company website at www.firsthealth.com. About Systems Xcellence, Inc. Systems Xcellence (TSX:SXC) is headquartered in Milton, Ontario with offices and processing centres in Lombard, Illinois, Scottsdale, Arizona and Victoria, British Columbia. SXC is a leading provider of healthcare information technology solutions and services to the pharmacy benefits management industry. The company’s product offerings and solutions combine a wide range of software applications, application service provider (ASP) processing services and professional services, designed for many of the largest organizations in the pharmaceutical supply chain, such as pharmacy benefit managers, managed care organizations, retail pharmacy chains and other healthcare intermediaries. SXC can be found on the Internet at www.sxc.com. This press release contains forward-looking statements based on current expectations. These forward-looking statements entail various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in these forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties about the Company’s business are more fully discussed in the Management Discussion and Analysis published in the Company's annual report.
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