 |
Back to Investor Relations Index
Nominating Committee: Charter
AMICAS,
INC.
AUDIT
COMMITTEE CHARTER
A.
Purpose
The
purpose of the Audit Committee of the AMICAS, Inc. Board of Directors ("Audit
Committee") is to assist the Board of Directors’ oversight of the Company’s
accounting and financial reporting processes and the audits of the Company’s
financial statements.
B.
Structure and Membership
1. Number. Except as otherwise permitted by the
applicable NASDAQ rules, the Audit Committee shall consist of at least three
members of the Board of Directors.
2. Independence. Except as otherwise permitted by the
applicable NASDAQ rules, each member of the Audit Committee shall be
independent as defined by NASDAQ rules, meet the criteria for independence set
forth in Rule 10A‑3(b)(1) under the Exchange Act (subject to the
exemptions provided in Rule 10A‑3(c)), and not have participated in
the preparation of the financial statements of the Company or any current
subsidiary of the Company at any time during the past three years.
3. Financial
Literacy. Each member of the
Audit Committee must be able to read and understand fundamental financial
statements, including the Company’s balance sheet, income statement, and cash
flow statement, at the time of his or her appointment to the Audit
Committee. In addition, at least one
member must have past employment experience in finance or accounting, requisite
professional certification in accounting, or any other comparable experience or
background which results in the individual’s financial sophistication,
including being or having been a chief executive officer, chief financial
officer or other senior officer with financial oversight responsibilities. Unless otherwise determined by the Board of
Directors (in which case disclosure of such determination shall be made in the
Company's annual report filed with the SEC), at least one member of the Audit
Committee shall be an "audit committee financial expert" (as defined
by applicable SEC rules).
4. Chair. Unless the Board of Directors elects a Chair
of the Audit Committee, the Audit Committee shall elect a Chair by majority
vote.
5. Compensation. The compensation of Audit Committee members
shall be as determined by the Board of Directors. No member of the Audit Committee may receive, directly or
indirectly, any consulting, advisory or other compensatory fee from the Company
or any of its subsidiaries, other than fees paid in his or her capacity as a
member of the Board of Directors or a committee of the Board.
6. Selection
and Removal. Members of the
Audit Committee shall be appointed by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may remove members of
the Audit Committee from such committee, with or without cause.
C.
Authority and Responsibilities
1. General. The Audit Committee shall discharge its
responsibilities, and shall assess the information provided by the Company's
management and the firm of independent auditors and the engagement executive(s)
("Independent Auditor"), in accordance with its business judgment. Management is responsible for the
preparation, presentation, and integrity of the Company's financial statements
and for the appropriateness of the accounting principles and reporting policies
that are used by the Company. The Independent
Auditor is responsible for auditing the Company's financial statements and for
reviewing the Company's unaudited interim financial statements. The authority and responsibilities set forth
in this Charter do not reflect or create any duty or obligation of the Audit
Committee to plan or conduct any audit, to determine or certify that the
Company's financial statements are complete, accurate, fairly presented, or in
accordance with generally accepted accounting principles or applicable law, or
to guarantee the Independent Auditor’s report.
2. Oversight
of Independent Auditors.
i.
Selection.
The Audit Committee shall be solely and directly responsible for
appointing, evaluating, retaining and, when necessary, terminating the
engagement of the Independent Auditor. The
Audit Committee may, in its discretion, seek stockholder ratification of the Independent
Auditor it appoints.
ii.
Independence. The Audit Committee shall take, or recommend that the full Board
of Directors take, appropriate action to oversee the independence of the Independent
Auditor. In connection with this
responsibility, the Audit Committee shall obtain and review a formal written
statement from the Independent Auditor describing all relationships between the
Independent Auditor and the Company, including the disclosures required by
Independence Standards Board Standard No. 1. The Audit Committee shall actively engage in dialogue with the Independent
Auditor concerning any disclosed relationships or services that might impact
the objectivity and independence of the Independent Auditor.
iii.
Compensation.
The Audit Committee shall have sole and direct responsibility for
setting the compensation of the Independent Auditor. The Audit Committee is empowered, without further action by the
Board of Directors, to cause the Company to pay the compensation of the Independent
Auditor established by the Audit Committee.
iv.
Pre-approval of Services. The Audit Committee shall pre-approve all
audit services to be provided to the Company, whether provided by the principal
auditor or other firms, and all other services (review, attest and non-audit)
to be provided to the Company by the Independent Auditor; provided, however,
that de minimis non-audit services may instead be approved in accordance with
applicable SEC rules.
v.
Oversight.
The Independent Auditor shall report directly to the Audit Committee,
and the Audit Committee shall have direct responsibility for overseeing the the
work of the Independent Auditor, including resolution of disagreements between
Company management and the Independent Auditor regarding financial
reporting. In connection with its
oversight role, the Audit Committee shall, from time to time as appropriate,
receive and consider the reports required to be made by the Independent Auditor
regarding:
a)
critical accounting policies and practices;
b)
alternative treatments within generally accepted accounting
principles for policies and practices related to material items that have been
discussed with Company management, including ramifications of the use of such
alternative disclosures and treatments, and the treatment preferred by the
independent auditor; and
c)
other material written communications between the Independent
Auditor and Company management.
vi.
The Audit Committee should review with the Independent
Auditor:
a)
any audit problems or difficulties the Independent Auditor encountered
in the course of the audit work and management’s response, including any
restrictions on the scope of the Independent Auditor’s activities or on access
to requested information and any significant disagreements with management;
b)
major issues as to the adequacy of the Company’s internal
controls and any special audit steps adopted in light of material control
deficiencies;
c)
analyses prepared by management and/or the Independent
Auditor setting forth significant financial reporting issues and judgments made
in connection with the preparation of the financial statements, including
analyses of the effects of alternative GAAP methods on the financial
statements; and
d)
the effect of regulatory and accounting initiatives on the
financial statements of the Company.
vii.
In connection with its oversight role, the Audit Committee
should also review with the Independent Auditor, from time to time as
appropriate:
a)
any accounting adjustments that were noted or proposed by
the Independent Auditor but were "passed" (as immaterial or otherwise);
b)
any "management" or "internal control" letter issued, or
proposed to be issued, by the audit firm to the Company;
c)
accounting for unusual transactions; and
d)
any recent SEC comments on the Company’s SEC reports,
including in particular any unresolved or future-compliance comments.
viii.
The Audit Committee should meet with the Independent Auditor
prior to the audit to discuss the planning and staffing of the audit.
ix.
The Audit Committee should obtain and review a copy of the
most recent inspection report of the independent audit firm issued by the
Public Company Accounting Oversight Board pursuant to Section 104 of the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act.
3.
Audited Financial Statements.
i.
Review and Discussion. The Audit Committee shall review and discuss
with the Company's management and Independent Auditor the Company's audited
financial statements, including the matters about which Statement on Auditing
Standards No. 61 (Codification of Statements on Auditing Standards, AU §380)
requires discussion.
ii.
Recommendation to Board Regarding Financial
Statements. The Audit
Committee shall consider whether it will recommend to the Board of Directors
that the Company's audited financial statements be included in the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K.
iii.
Audit Committee Report. The Audit Committee shall prepare an annual
committee report for inclusion where necessary in the proxy statement of the
Company relating to its annual meeting of security holders.
4.
Review of Other Financial Disclosures.
i.
Independent Auditor Review of Interim Financial
Statements. The Audit Committee
shall direct the Independent Auditor to use its best efforts to perform all
reviews of interim financial information prior to disclosure by the Company of
such information and to discuss promptly with the Audit Committee and the Chief
Financial Officer any matters identified in connection with the Independent
Auditor's review of interim financial information which are required to be
discussed by applicable auditing standards.
The Audit Committee shall direct management to advise the Audit
Committee if the Company proposes to disclose interim financial information and
the status of the Independent Auditor’s review of interim financial information
to be disclosed.
ii.
Quarterly Financial Statements. The
Audit Committee shall discuss with the Company's management and Independent Auditor
the Company's quarterly financial statements, including the Company’s
disclosures under "Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
and Results of Operations", and endeavor to review each 10-Q prior to filing.
5.
Controls and Procedures.
i.
Oversight.
The Audit Committee shall coordinate the Board of Directors' oversight
of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting, disclosure controls
and procedures and code of conduct. The
Audit Committee shall receive and review the certifications of the CEO and CFO
required by Rule 13a-14 of the Exchange Act.
ii.
Procedures for Complaints. The Audit Committee shall establish
procedures for (i) the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received
by the Company regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing
matters; and (ii) the confidential, anonymous submission by employees of the
Company of concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters.
iii.
Related-Party Transactions. The Audit Committee shall review all "related
party transactions" (defined as transactions required to be disclosed pursuant
to Item 404 of Regulation S-K) on an ongoing basis, and all such transactions
must be approved by the Audit Committee.
iv.
Additional Powers. The Audit Committee shall have such other duties as may be
delegated from time to time by the Board of Directors.
D.
Procedures and Administration
1.
Meetings.
The Audit Committee shall meet as often as it deems necessary in order
to perform its responsibilities. The
Audit Committee may also act by unanimous written consent in lieu of a
meeting. The Audit Committee shall
periodically meet separately with the Independent Auditor and Company
management. The Audit Committee shall
keep such records of its meetings as it shall deem appropriate.
2.
Subcommittees.
The Audit Committee may form and delegate authority to one or more
subcommittees (including a subcommittee consisting of a single member), as it
deems appropriate from time to time under the circumstances. Any decision of a subcommittee to pre-approve
audit, review, attest or non-audit services shall be presented to the full
Audit Committee at its next scheduled meeting.
3.
Reports to Board. The Audit Committee shall report regularly to the Board of
Directors.
4.
Charter.
At least annually, the Audit Committee shall review and reassess the adequacy of this Charter and the Company’s Code of Ethics and recommend any proposed changes to the Board of Directors for approval.
5.
Independent Advisors. The Audit Committee is authorized, without
further action by the Board of Directors, to engage such independent legal,
accounting and other advisors as it deems necessary or appropriate to carry out
its responsibilities. Such independent
advisors may be the regular advisors to the Company. The Audit Committee is empowered, without further action by the
Board of Directors, to cause the Company to pay the compensation of such
advisors as established by the Audit Committee.
6.
Investigations.
The Audit Committee shall have the authority to conduct or authorize
investigations into any matters within the scope of its responsibilities as it
shall deem appropriate, including the authority to request any officer,
employee or advisor of the Company to meet with the Audit Committee or any
advisors engaged by the Audit Committee.
7.
Funding.
The Audit Committee is empowered, without further action by the Board of
Directors, to cause the Company to pay the ordinary administrative expenses of
the Audit Committee that are necessary or appropriate in carrying out its
duties.
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
Colleen McCormick
617.779.7892
|
 |
cmccormick@amicas.com
|
|
 |
 |
| May 1, 2008 |
 |
AMICAS Highlights Radiology Automation Solutions at RBMA 2008
Leader in radiology software solutions also announces general availability of its advanced, industrial strength revenue cycle management platform, Vision Series Financials
|
| April 30, 2008 |
 |
AMICAS Reports Financial Results for the First Quarter Ended March 31, 2008
Positive cash flow from operations and an active first quarter 2008 stock repurchase program
|
| April 2, 2008 |
 |
AMICAS and RIA Partner for Better Customer Service in Radiology Radiology Imaging Associates and INVISION choose AMICAS to develop new approach for streamlining scheduling, billing, marketing, and physician services
|
| March 24, 2008 |
 |
AMICAS Appoints Joseph D. Hill to Its Board of Directors and Promotes Kevin C. Burns to Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Company reaffirms 2008 financial guidance
|
| Jan 29, 2008 |
 |
AMICAS Increases Market Penetration With More Than 60 Contracts in 2007 Focus on innovation and customer success drives market interest
|
| Nov 27, 2007 |
 |
MedQuest Standardizes on AMICAS Vision Series
PACS
Vision Series PACS and Vision Reach to be deployed
at 92 outpatient imaging centers across 13 states
|
|
|
|
|