Press Release

Manasquan, N.J., USA, August 30, 2005 – Consumer-driven health plans, double-digit cost increases, disease management, e-health, incentive programs and new legislation – these developments are continuing to drive changes in healthcare financing and planning. Striving to contain costs through innovative programs and preventative measures, healthcare professionals manage the present in anticipation of future development.

Continual growth, technological advancement and demands for cost control compel health planners to think ahead. “Healthcare Trends & Forecasts 2006,” an October 12, 2005 audio conference sponsored by the Healthcare Intelligence Network (HIN) explores trends and implications for the healthcare industry in 2006. During this 90-minute audio conference, expert panelists will discuss forces of change, performance expectations and challenges for the upcoming year. The audio conference is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern time on October 12, 2005. For more details on attending the audio conference, please visit the HIN bookstore.

“We can’t presume the future of healthcare but we can try to prepare for it,” said Melanie Matthews, the executive vice president and chief operating officer of HIN. “In considering driving factors, trends and expectations, the healthcare industry can better anticipate what will come next,” she added.

During this 90-minute audio conference, your expert panel of speakers, Nathan Kaufman, senior vice president for health strategy, ACS Healthcare Solutions, Peter Kongstvedt, vice president, Accenture, and Steve Valentine, president, The Camden Group, will provide inside information on healthcare trends that will impact the industry in 2006. These experts will lend detailed insight into:

• What's driving changes in the healthcare industry;
• What new trends will emerge in 2006;
• How healthcare organizations can best position for 2006;
• Performance expectations for the healthcare industry in 2006;
• Problems affecting the healthcare business climate; and
• How 2006 will compare to 2005.

This audio conference is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern time on October 12, 2005. It will conclude with a live question-and-answer period during which participants can tap into the speakers’ wealth of expertise. A recorded version on CD-ROM and printed transcript of this audio conference will be available in early November. For those who cannot attend the audio conference, please visit the HIN bookstore for information on HIN’s “On-Demand” audio conference re-broadcasts.

This audio conference is designed to benefit analysts, key healthcare executives, financial/business managers, strategic planners, medical directors and marketing coordinators. For more information on the conference, please email info@hin.com, call toll-free (888) 446-3530 or visit the HIN bookstore.

About the Healthcare Intelligence Network---HIN is the premier advisory service for executives seeking high-quality strategic information on the business of healthcare. For more information, contact the Healthcare Intelligence Network, PO Box 1442, Wall Township, NJ 07719-1442, (888) 446-3530, fax (732) 292-3073, e-mail info@hin.com, or visit http://www.hin.com.

###