Setting the stage to contain costs

An occupational healthcare cost management company has deployed enterprise data integration software to manage complex information among various divisions and product lines.

Concentra will use Ascential Software DataStage to create, merge and manage the data. The system will strengthen Concentra's ability to serve customers by capitalizing on its strategic repositories of customer information, according to a recent press release from Ascential.

"Concentra's rapid growth during the past several years has fostered a need for more sophisticated data management tools--such as software that will allow us to integrate information throughout our company," says Brad Harslem, Concentra CIO. "This integration software solution will expand cross-marketing opportunities within Concentra, as well as assist us in providing greater value-added services to each of our clients."

Says Mike Cassettari, chief marketing officer for Ascential, "Expanding its data warehousing initiatives will provide Concentra with an integrated view of all customer touch points and every service delivered to each of its major clients. Concentra's customer service, finance and management staffs will be well positioned to extend the value provided each client, as they also find new opportunities to reduce costs and drive revenues."

Concentra is described as a comprehensive outsourcing solution for containing healthcare and disability costs. It provides the occupational, auto and group healthcare markets with such services as employment-related injury and occupational healthcare, medical claims review and repricing, and access to specialized preferred provider organizations.