Siemens Medical Solutions and NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, a provider of ambulatory Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and practice management software, announced a worldwide strategic alliance intended to meet the distinctive healthcare IT needs in the physician practice market. This relationship is designed to leverage Siemens' experience in enterprise IT systems and advanced medical imaging technologies for the acute care and specialty environments with NextGen Healthcare's expertise in ambulatory EMRs and practice management software.

Under the terms of the agreement, Siemens will add NextGen Healthcare's EMR and practice management solutions to its global solutions portfolio. The alliance further extends the value of Siemens' highly penetrated enterprise solutions by enabling Continuity of Care Record (CCR) connectivity and interoperability across acute and ambulatory care settings. Additionally, this agreement includes worldwide distribution rights in the diagnostic imaging center (DIC) market.

Currently, more than 700 physician practices representing more than 30 different specialties use NextGen Healthcare's EMR and practice management systems. Siemens' healthcare IT division delivers solutions to over 5,000 healthcare organizations worldwide. Siemens, in combination with NextGen Healthcare's clinically rich products and services, can now offer its customers and prospects a one-stop source for electronic health records and interoperability.