Ingram To Distribute NextGen Healthcare SystemsIngram To Distribute NextGen Healthcare Systems

IT distributor Ingram Micro will work with NextGen Healthcare Information Systems to expand the number of U.S. resellers of the latter company's electronic health record and practice management systems.

Ingram Micro, which sells IT in about 150 countries, said Monday it would work with NextGen in recruiting, training, and supporting new U.S. distributors. Ingram Micro has been offering a variety of healthcare technology focused on intake, patient care, mobility applications, and universal infrastructure since 2006.

The deal has Ingram Micro providing financing and lease options for NextGen technology. In announcing the agreement, the two companies are hoping to reach more medical institutions and doctors seeking to expand their use of technology under the federal government's $20 billion health IT stimulus program. The program is part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

"With the onset of the ARRA and the need for cost-cutting efficiencies in the U.S. healthcare system, physicians are incented to consider EHR and e-prescribing technology solutions," Bob Laclede, VP of business development for Ingram Micro, said in a statement. "This, against the backdrop of government healthcare reform, makes the healthcare market one of the fastest growing sales markets for IT in the U.S."

Federal stimulus money isn't expected to start flowing to healthcare companies until 2011. Nevertheless, nearly 70% of the companies in last year's information 500 survey expected their technology spending in 2009 to exceed their 2008 spending. The percentage of healthcare companies ramping up spending was more than in any other industry surveyed.

NextGen, a wholly owned subsidiary of Quality Systems, offers technology that can scale from small medical clinics to large healthcare institutions. The systems can be deployed locally or in a software-as-a-service model using cloud-computing technology, according to the vendor.