News Release: May 8, 2007

ALBUQUERQUE, NM - With the click of a mouse, Presbyterian patients and health plan members can now request prescription refills and renewals, schedule physician appointments and receive lab results through a new secure web-based service called "Pres e-Care."

Physicians can also resolve non-urgent health matters from their computers, write electronic prescriptions quickly, and safely send them to the patients' pharmacy of choice. Clinicians and staff are also able to communicate with patients online, which is an efficient alternative to phone calls.

"Presbyterian is committed to its vision of transforming healthcare in New Mexico through technology," said David R. Scrase, MD, executive vice president and chief operating officer for Presbyterian Healthcare Services. "We're excited to be the first in the state to provide this new web-based service to our patients and members and to have it as a covered benefit."

Pres e-Care is provided through a relationship with RelayHealth. These services are available at no cost for routine communications, such as appointment requests, lab results, and medication refill requests.

Patients with non-urgent issues can use a webVisit® online consultation to see their physician from the convenience of their computer. Online consultations may require a co-payment or, for those with coverage through different insurance plans, a $30 out-of-pocket fee, which carries the equivalent cost of a face-to-face office visit. The clinically-structured online medical interview gathers key data about a patient's symptoms and relays it quickly and concisely to the physician.

Any patient who is established with a provider using Pres e-Care may use this service. As of now, more than 90 Presbyterian Medical Group providers at all 11 primary care sites in the Albuquerque four-county area are using Pres e-Care.

By the end of this summer, all Presbyterian Medical Group offices throughout New Mexico will be using these services. Presbyterian Health Plan plans to expand this service to the rest of its physician network. Register for Pres e-Care.

Presbyterian serves to improve the health of individuals, families and communities. Presbyterian Healthcare Services was founded in New Mexico in 1908, and is the state's only private, not-for-profit healthcare system. Presbyterian offers eight hospitals, a statewide health plan, and a growing multi-specialty medical group. Presbyterian employs more than 9,500 people throughout New Mexico.