CHICAGO, -- Merge Healthcare Incorporated (Nasdaq:MRGE), a leading provider of clinical systems and innovations that seek to transform healthcare, today announced a strategic partnership with NextGen Healthcare, a wholly owned subsidiary of Quality Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq:QSII) and leading provider of integrated clinical, connectivity and financial solutions. The companies forged this new partnership to address significant challenges facing healthcare organizations, such as provider relations and inefficiencies in the medical image ordering process.

Merge and NextGen will link their interoperability platforms enabling

NextGen(R) Share customers to seamlessly send electronic imaging orders and receive imaging reports from Merge iConnect Network customers. The combined solution will facilitate the successful transmission of orders and encourage patients to follow through on imaging appointments.

Merge's advanced interoperability solution for the exchange of medical imaging data will also enable NextGen clients to further streamline workflow, reduce costs and meet Meaningful Use (MU) requirements.

"This partnership with Merge underscores our commitment to using interoperability to create higher usability, streamlined workflow and cost savings," said Michael Lovett, executive vice president and general manager for NextGen Healthcare. "The liquidity of data through our new interoperability platform, NextGen Share, extends the reach of our clients and allows them to improve care coordination while better managing referrals. By enabling our clients to easily send imaging orders and access imaging reports within their EHR, we are addressing a significant market challenge. With NextGen Share and Merge's iConnect

Network, we are mitigating lost revenues, facilitating operational efficiencies and improving care delivery."

"We're pleased to be expanding our advanced interoperability network through this relationship with NextGen, which addresses an important healthcare challenge and improves provider relations for hospitals and imaging centers," said Justin Dearborn, CEO at Merge. "Being able to transport orders, not just reports, is a significant advancement in healthcare information technology. Our vendor-neutral capabilities enable us to partner with industry leading EHR providers to offer a comprehensive, enterprise-wide imaging strategy that improves workflow, and physician satisfaction, while ultimately enhancing patient care."

To learn more about iConnect Network, visit Merge booth #1329 at the RSNA 2014 Annual Meeting in Chicago, IL from November 30 through December 5 or go to merge.com.

About NextGen Healthcare

NextGen Healthcare Information Systems, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Quality Systems, Inc., provides integrated clinical, connectivity and financial solutions, including revenue cycle management services for ambulatory, inpatient and dental provider organizations. For more information, please visit www.nextgen.com and www.qsii.com. Follow NextGen Healthcare on Twitter at www.twitter.com/nextgen, Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/NextGenHealthcare or LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/company/nextgen-healthcare-information-systems.

About Merge

Merge is a leading provider of innovative enterprise imaging, interoperability and clinical systems that seek to advance healthcare.

Merge's enterprise and cloud-based technologies for image intensive specialties provide access to any image, anywhere, any time. Merge also provides clinical trials software with end-to-end study support in a single platform and other intelligent health data and analytics solutions. With solutions that have been used by providers for more than 25 years, Merge is helping to reduce costs, improve efficiencies  and enhance the quality of healthcare worldwide. For more information, visit merge.com and follow us @MergeHealthcare.

Cautionary Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

The matters discussed in this news release may include forward-looking statements, which could involve a number of risks and uncertainties. When used in this press release, the words "will," "believes," "intends," "anticipates," "expects" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Actual results could differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, such forward-looking statements. Except as expressly required by the federal securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update such factors or to publicly announce the results of any of the forward-looking statements.