[announce] OASIS Member News: DGI Tests ebMS Products ... for CDC's PHIN Messaging System

["Olga Flores Finneran" <olga@drummondgroup.com>]

Drummond Group Tests ebMS Products From bTrade, Cyclone Commerce, Inovis,
SeeBeyond, Sterling Commerce and Sybase for CDC's PHIN Messaging System

Interoperable ebMS Systems Critical to Growth of PHIN

AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 25, 2004--Six leading software companies
successfully completed interoperability testing of the ebXML messaging
profile of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC's) Public
Health Information Network Messaging System (PHIN MS) conducted by Drummond
Group Inc. (DGI). The PHIN MS enables the secure exchange of response,
health and disease tracking data between public health partners.
Interoperability testing was successfully completed by bTrade Inc.; Cyclone
Commerce; Inovis Inc.; SeeBeyond; Sterling Commerce and Sybase Inc.

ebMS is the messaging layer of the ebXML framework. In addition to secure
messaging, ebMS can be deployed as part of the larger ebXML framework, which
encompasses partner agreements, business process definition, artifact
registry and common data components. The messaging layer also can be
deployed as a standalone secure messaging component for Web services,
allowing applications to share data over Internet protocols without
significant user input.

Driving adoption of interoperable ebMS systems is critical to the growth of
PHIN because technical requirements of federal, state and local public
health agencies are highly variable. Using similar underlying technical
standards is imperative to ensure that different information systems at all
public health agency levels are able to exchange information efficiently and
effectively. Interoperable ebMS software solutions can deliver multiple
product choices at an array of price points to help meet the public health
sector's needs to simplify and streamline the integration process between
agencies at all levels. The software products from these six leading
solution providers successfully completed the ebMS-3Q03 interoperability
test round, and can now offer standards-based, interoperable ebMS solutions
to the public health sector.

"Organizations may start by choosing from tested and certified interoperable
ebMS products. As the architecture for PHIN grows, the reliance on secure
data messaging that is interoperable with various product versions and
platforms also grows," says Rik Drummond, CEO, Drummond Group Inc. "We
applaud these six software companies for demonstrating secure business data
messaging techniques to meet the needs within the ever-changing health-care
and public health sectors."

"The secure exchange of information driven by standards such as ebXML is
essential for effective communication and timely responses on public health
issues," said Michael Croxton, senior vice president of marketing for
Inovis. "Inovis BizManager provides health-care organizations with a
solution to meet PHIN requirements and provides for the secure exchange of
health-care documents. With BizManager, health-care organizations can extend
their community by supporting the secure exchange of electronic information
with all members of their supply chain."

"Sterling Commerce is pleased to participate in the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention PHIN MS ebXML messaging profile testing," said Brian
Gibb, director, Standards and Strategic Technology, Sterling Commerce. "We
consider it part of our continued commitment to fielding interoperable
solutions essential to our customers' B2B collaboration. Creating solutions
our customers can successfully implement with lower up-front costs produces
higher returns on investment for their projects."

Another ebMS interoperability test is planned for Fall 2004 and will include
Health Level 7 (HL7). To sign up for testing, go to:
http://www.drummondgroup.com/html-v2/join.html

Additional information about ebMS and PHIN may be found at:
http://www.drummondgroup.com/html-v2/faq-hipaa-ebxml.html

To learn more about driving large-scale deployment through interoperable
systems, please read DGI's latest brochure, "Drummond Group Inc. Drives
Large-Scale Deployment of Interoperable Software in the Public Health
Sector," at:
http://www.drummondgroup.com/html-v2/press-brochures.html

For specific ebMS test results, please visit:
http://www.ebusinessready.org/. eBusinessReady(tm) is an industry-neutral
software certification program under joint partnership of the Drummond Group
Inc. (DGI) and the Uniform Code Council Inc. (UCC).

About Drummond Group Inc.
Drummond Group Inc. (DGI) is an independent, privately held company that
works with software vendors, vertical industries and the standards community
to drive adoption for standards by conducting interoperability and
conformance testing, publishing related strategic research and developing
vertical industry strategies. Founded in 1999, DGI represents best-of-breed
in the industry on linking horizontal infrastructure technologies, standards
and interoperability issues with the needs of vertical industries such as
retail, grocery, health care, transportation, government and automotive. For
more information, please visit www.drummondgroup.com or e-mail:
info@drummondgroup.com.