ACS Healthcare Solutions Forecasts Future Trends & Provides Practical Methods for Addressing Impending Industry Change.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DALLAS, TEXAS: November 3, 2008 -- ACS Healthcare Solutions (ACS HCS), the healthcare information technology unit of Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. (NYSE: ACS), is educating top clients and industry leaders that in these troubled economic times health reform must be directed to performance improvement across the industry in order to achieve the goals of enhancing quality and reducing costs.

During its recent 3rd Annual Healthcare Trendsetters Forum, comprised of national speakers and healthcare “trendsetters,” presenters addressed upcoming changes facing the industry, including the transforming economy and political landscape, patient population and relationships with hospital/medical staff. Speakers highlighted future trends, covered specific aspects of these imminent, overarching changes, and provided attendees with workable, real-world solutions to potential issues associated with the expected changes.

Kicking off the conference was Jeff Bauer, Ph.D., a nationally recognized health futurist and medical economist, who spoke about “The Reality of Health Reform: What Politicians Aren’t Telling Us.” His review of the history of health reform indicated that no presidential candidate’s proposals have ever been enacted into law. Dr. Bauer also reviewed systemic and economic problems that would prevent attainment of the Republican and Democratic reform goals even if their proposals were to become law.

Renowned political consultant James Carville gave an insightful presentation about the 2008 election and how the outcome, combined with our nation’s current financial turmoil, will impact Americans. Carville provided ample evidence that today’s political situation is unprecedented and incomprehensible, noting that all the rules we think we know about politics have not only been broken—but shattered. He discussed how politics is being transformed by new organizational practices more than by changes in underlying philosophies.

Allan Parnell, Ph.D., a demographer and president of McMillan and Moss Research, provided a look at the changing face of America. He offered an impressive array of statistics that depict the rapid racial, ethnic and cultural diversification of the U.S. population. Extending his analysis to healthcare, he discussed how providers will need to address rising demand for medical interpreters who can bridge the gaps between American healthcare and the expectations of new patients with foreign experiences and expectations. The rapid rise of immigrants will also create rising demand for neonatal services due to high birth rates and for non-traditional therapies and medications that were common in the new patients’ countries of origin.

Christine Dumas, a nationally known medical and lifestyle reporter and author, described how alternative medicine could be adopted more aggressively to complement the traditional American approach to healthcare. She noted several reasons why alternative medicine is attractive to consumers, including caregivers who are willing to spend more time with their patients than traditional providers. Dr. Dumas suggested that traditional providers should respond to this competition by delivering more personal care.

During a panel discussion on “Employing the Medical Staff: Lessons from Failures and Successes,” panelists discussed key trends in physician employment. The panel predicted that individual and small group practices will soon be a “thing of the past” and will move toward larger, organized medical staffs employed and managed by hospitals. According to the panelists, our current economic state is helping push physicians toward hospital employment, due primarily to the economic advantages and lifestyle improvements they offer to physicians.

“This year’s forum was one of the best ever for meeting the Trendsetters’ goal of looking constructively at the future,” said Charles O. Bracken, Managing Director, ACS Healthcare Solutions. “The speakers not only talked knowledgeably about trends that deserve a leader’s attention, they also provided very helpful information for evaluating alternatives and taking actions. We are proud to bring together such a powerful group of respected thought leaders and accomplished professionals.”

About ACS
ACS, a global FORTUNE 500 company with 63,000 people supporting client operations reaching more than 100 countries, provides business process outsourcing and information technology solutions to world-class commercial and government clients. The company's Class A common stock trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "ACS." Learn more about ACS at http://www.acs-inc.com.

ACS Healthcare Solutions, a division of ACS, is a leader in healthcare information technology and clinical transformation and provides a full array of services to healthcare delivery systems to help them operate more efficiently and effectively including world-class healthcare transformational outsourcing services.