Corum seeks POS partners

LISTED pharmacy software supplier Corum Health is currently assessing the suitability of possible partners to work alongside its new “best-of-breed dispense system,” according to Chairman Bill Paterson.

Speaking at the Corum annual general meeting yesterday, Paterson confirmed the recent completion of the Corum Clear platform, meaning the software can now be marketed more widely.

However the platform “must also be complemented by Corum improving its extensive offering in retail business systems, including the point of sale, inventory and head office management applications,” he said.

“In order to offer these existing systems to new customers it will need to reshape these offerings either by itself or by partnering with third parties,” he said.

Paterson also noted Corum had been actively involved in efforts to encourage health industry software provider consolidation, but thus far opportunities had proved “elusive”.

CEO David Clarke highlighted ongoing progress within the business, including building a customer-first culture, reinvigorating the product offering and changes in the company’s sales approach and structure.

He said the LOTS point of sale and dispense systems remained at the core of Corum’s installed pharmacy base, with a host of changes implemented to integrate with Vic’s SafeScript real-time script monitoring software and the My Health Record framework.

Corum Clear Dispense is now in testing phases in pharmacies across Australia, with a commercial launch expected in Jan 2019, he said.

“The product has been well received and we believe its simplicity, intelligent design and layout will make it successful in the market,” he said.

However Clarke also noted strong competition from the Guild-backed FRED IT and other vendors, saying Corum was now “actively pursuing wider and adjacent opportunities for investment and growth”.