Craneware relaxed over Romney win

A VICTORY for Republican challenger Mitt Romney in November’s US presidential election would not derail hospital software firm Craneware’s business plan, according to the Edinburgh-based company’s chief executive.

Keith Neilson said that the firm’s computer programs – which are used by about a quarter of clinics in the United States to track patients’ bills – will still be in demand no matter which party takes the White House.

Neilson told The Scotsman: “If president Barack Obama wins again in November, then hospitals will have an extra 32 million customers added to their systems. If Romney wins, then he has publicly pledged to undo Obama’s healthcare reforms.

“He has a problem though because they’re based on his own reforms from when he was governor of Massachusetts.

“Either way, both candidates have pledged to make healthcare more efficient. They want to know what money has been spent, who has spent it and when it was spent and that’s what our software gives them.”

Neilson’s comments came as Craneware posted a 29 per cent rise in pre-tax profits for the year to 30 June to $11.2 million (£7m), which triggered a 19 per cent rise in its total dividend to 10.5p.

Sales edged up 8 per cent to $41.1m and the firm’s order book returned to being 75-80 per cent full for the next five years, having dropped to 60 per cent last year, which triggered downgrades from analysts. Neilson has reduced the firm’s reliance on large individual contracts.