Health Business Systems (HBS ), an SXC company, and ECR Software (ECRS ) have signed an agreement to provide integration between the HBS pharmacy management system and ECRS's Catapult POS system and its Retail Automation Suite. The first phase of integration will allow a direct pharmacy-to-POS link that automates prescription sales and will-call management by capturing the correct co-pays at checkout. The second phase will provide real-time, two-way communication between the two systems that will provide cashiers and pharmacy managers with complete store awareness.

Pete Catoe, ECRS founder and president, says, "Tight front-to-back integration is absolutely essential in today's big-box competitive market." In commenting for HBS, Lou Greenberg, company president, says, "As prescrip- tion profit margins continue to shrink, retailers must look at the front end of their stores as opportunities for growth and for offsetting waning profit margins at the back end."