Sierra Systems Consultants, a wholly-owned Canadian operating subsidiary of Sierra Systems Group Inc., says it is nearing completion on the Nova Scotia Picture Archiving and Communication System ("NS PACS") project.

As of today, the Province of Nova Scotia is officially filmless - a milestone achievement - with only a few hospitals remaining to be implemented to complete the project by June 2006.

Patients in hospitals across Nova Scotia are benefiting from improved care as more and more doctors and other authorized healthcare providers are gaining electronic access to digital diagnostic images and results through the new archive and communications system.

Heavily involved with planning and development of NS PACS since provincial planning began in 1999, Sierra Systems is thrilled to see it enter the final stages of implementation. The system links diagnostic imaging equipment such as x-ray, MRIs and ultrasounds to a secure network of computers across all district health authorities and the Izaak Walton Killam Health Centre. Authorized users are able to view a medical image and its associated report without having to be in the same hospital as the patient. Nova Scotia is currently the largest provincial jurisdiction in Canada to implement province-wide PACS.

"By introducing new PACS technology we will improve the quality of care provided to patients across the province," stated Dieter Pagani, Director of Information Technology Services for the Department of Health. "This system will mean quicker treatment decisions and the reduction of unnecessary travel for many patients."

"The power of digital imagery has transformed the way healthcare is delivered," said Dr. Charles Lo, clinical chief, diagnostic imaging at the Capital District Health Authority in Halifax. "Radiologists and emergency room physicians can access patient images from any hospital in the province, meaning faster treatment and less duplication."

"The implementation of the provincial PACS is truly a cooperative effort between the Department of Health and the District Health Authorities," explained Mr. Pagani. "The team did an amazing job of supporting each other, including traveling from one end of the province to the other to help with implementations."

With extensive experience in planning and deploying systems across multiple health authorities, Sierra Systems was chosen to be the systems integration partner of the Province after undergoing a thorough RFP process. Through its work with various planning organizations at the federal and provincial level, the company is at the forefront of the pan-Canadian Electronic Health Record ("EHR"). Together with its consortium members, Sierra Systems also implemented Canada's first regional EHR in Edmonton, Alberta.

"From coast to coast, our team understands the challenges healthcare professionals face, and are working closely with health authorities and healthcare providers to develop and implement integrated solutions that provide quality patient care whenever, or wherever, the patient needs it," said Iraj Pourian, Sierra Systems' President and CEO. "Sierra Systems has experience and unique capability in improving the business of healthcare delivery. Our successful track record working in healthcare - from strategy to application support - along with our collaborative approach to working with multiple partners and vendors on large province-wide systems, made us an ideal fit for this project."

About Sierra Systems

Since 1966, Sierra Systems Group Inc. (TSX:SSG) has been improving the operational performance of our clients by delivering superior information technology and business consulting services. Through our extensive experience in Business Consulting, Solutions Delivery, and Managed Services, Sierra Systems has emerged as a trusted advisor to many leading private and public sector organizations across North America. With offices in Austin, Calgary, Edmonton, Fredericton, Halifax, Hartford, Los Angeles, Olympia, Ottawa, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, and Winnipeg, our consultants are never far from our clients. In Justice, Health, Government, and various other industries, Sierra Systems continues to win exciting engagements in the face of stiff competition. .