As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 9, 2002.
                              File No. 333-_______
================================================================================

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                        --------------------------------

                                    FORM S-8
                             REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                      UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

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                            PER-SE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
               (Exact Name of Issuer as Specified in its Charter)

              DELAWARE                                       58-1651222
  (State or Other Jurisdiction of                          (I.R.S. Employer
  Incorporation or Organization)                        Identification Number)

                           2840 MT. WILKINSON PARKWAY
                             ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30339
                                 (770) 444-5300
         (Address, including zip code, and telephone number of Principal
                               Executive Offices)

               PER-SE TECHNOLOGIES, INC. DEFERRED STOCK UNIT PLAN

                            (Full Title of the Plan)

             PAUL J. QUINER                                COPY TO:
         SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT                         LAURA G. THATCHER
          AND GENERAL COUNSEL                          ALSTON & BIRD LLP
       PER-SE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.                      ONE ATLANTIC CENTER
       2840 MT. WILKINSON PARKWAY               1201 WEST PEACHTREE STREET, NW
         ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30339                   ATLANTA, GEORGIA 30309-3424
             (770) 444-5300                             (404) 881-7546
 (Name, address, including zip code,
    and telephone number, including
   area code, of agent for service)

                             -----------------------



                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
================================================================================================
                                           Proposed            Proposed
Title of Securities      Amount to         Maximum              Maximum           Amount of
  to be Registered     be Registered    Offering Price         Aggregate      Registration Fee
                                         Per Unit (1)     Offering Price (1)
--------------------- ---------------- ----------------- -------------------- ------------------
                                                                  
    Common Stock          600,000           $12.22           $7,332,000.00         $674.54
--------------------- ---------------- ----------------- -------------------- ------------------


(1)      Determined in accordance with Rule 457(h), the registration fee
         calculation is based on the average of the high and low prices of the
         Company's Common Stock reported on the Nasdaq National Market on May 7,
         2002.







PART I.           INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(A) PROSPECTUS

                  (a)      The documents constituting Part I of this
Registration Statement will be sent or given to participants in the Plan as
specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

                  (b)      Upon written or oral request, the Company will
provide, without charge, the documents incorporated by reference in Item 3 of
Part II of this Registration Statement. The documents are incorporated by
reference in the Section 10(a) prospectus. The Company will also provide,
without charge, upon written or oral request, other documents required to be
delivered to employees pursuant to Rule 428(b). Requests for the above mentioned
information should be directed to Paul J. Quiner, Senior Vice President and
General Counsel of the Company, at (770) 444-5300.

PART II.          INFORMATION REQUIRED IN REGISTRATION STATEMENT

ITEM 3.           INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

         The following documents have been filed by Per-Se Technologies, Inc.
(the "Company") with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission")
pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange
Act"), and are deemed to be a part hereof from the date of the filing of such
documents:

         (1)      The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year
ended December 31, 2001;

         (2)      All other reports filed by the Company pursuant to Section
13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act since December 31, 2001;

         (3)      The description of the Company's common stock, par value $.01
per share ("Common Stock"), contained in the Registration Statement on Form
8-A/A dated May 22, 1996, and any amendment or report filed for the purpose of
updating such description; and

         (4)      The description of rights set forth in the Registration
Statement on Form 8-A filed February 12, 1999, and any amendment or report filed
for the purpose of updating such description.

         Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed
incorporated herein by reference shall be deemed to be modified or superseded
for the purpose of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement
contained herein or in any subsequently filed document which also is, or is
deemed to be, incorporated herein by reference modifies or supersedes such
statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed,
except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration
Statement.

ITEM 4.           DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES.  Not Applicable.

ITEM 5.           INTERESTS OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL. The opinion of counsel
as to the legality of the securities registered hereunder is given by Paul J.
Quiner, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of the Company. As of the date
hereof, Mr. Quiner beneficially owns approximately 33,334 shares of the
Company's Common Stock.


                                      II-1



ITEM 6.           INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

         The following summary is qualified in its entirety by reference to the
complete text of the statute, the Restated Certificate of Incorporation,
Restated By-Laws and the agreement referred to below.

         The Company's Restated By-Laws provide that each person who was or is
made a party to, is threatened to be made a party to or is otherwise involved in
any action, suit or proceeding, whether civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative, by reason of the fact that he is or was a director, officer,
employee or agent of the Company (or is or was serving at the request of the
Company as a director, officer, employee or agent of another entity), will be
indemnified and held harmless by the Company to the fullest extent permitted by
the Delaware General Corporation Law as it currently exists or is later amended.

         Under Section 145 of the Delaware General Corporation Law, a
corporation may indemnify a director, officer, employee or agent of the
corporation (or other entity if such person is serving in such capacity at the
corporation's request) against expenses (including attorneys' fees), judgments,
fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by him if
he acted in good faith and in a manner he reasonably believed to be in, or not
opposed to, the best interests of the corporation and, with respect to any
criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct
was unlawful. In the case of an action brought by or in the right of the
corporation, the corporation may indemnify a director, officer, employee or
agent of the corporation (or other entity if such person is serving in such
capacity at the corporation's request) against expenses (including attorneys'
fees) actually and reasonably incurred by him if he acted in good faith and in a
manner he reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of
the corporation, except that no indemnification shall be made in respect of any
claim, issue or matter as to which such persons shall have been adjudged to be
liable to the corporation unless a court determines that, despite the
adjudication of liability but in view of all the circumstances of the case, such
person is fairly and reasonably entitled to indemnification for such expenses as
the court shall deem proper. Expenses (including attorneys' fees) incurred by an
officer or director in defending any civil, criminal, administrative or
investigative action, suit or proceeding may be paid by the corporation in
advance of the final disposition of such action, suit or proceeding upon receipt
of an undertaking by or on behalf of such director or officer to repay such
amount if it shall ultimately be determined that he is not entitled to be
indemnified by the corporation.

         The Company's Restated Certificate of Incorporation provides that a
director of the Company shall not be personally liable to the Company or its
stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director,
except for liability (i) for any breach of the director's duty of loyalty to the
Company or its stockholders, (ii) for any acts or omissions not in good faith or
which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) under
Section 174 of the Delaware General Corporation Law or (iv) for any transaction
in which the director derived an improper personal benefit.

         In addition, the Company and David E. McDowell, the Chairman of the
Board of the Company, are parties to an agreement pursuant to which the Company
has agreed to indemnify and hold harmless Mr. McDowell to the fullest extent
permitted by the Delaware General Corporation Law as it presently exists or to
such greater extent as such law may subsequently be amended.

         The Company maintains directors and officers liability insurance. Such
policies have a deductible of $500,000 per claim, and an annual per occurrence
and aggregate cap on coverage of $50 million.

ITEM 7.           EXEMPTION FROM REGISTRATION CLAIMED.  Not Applicable.


                                      II-2


ITEM 8.       EXHIBITS



           Exhibit Number                         Description
           --------------                         -----------

                        
                  4.1      Restated Certificate of Incorporation of Registrant
                           (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to Annual
                           Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
                           1999).

                  4.2      Restated By-Laws of Registrant (incorporated by
                           reference to Exhibit 3.2 to Annual Report on Form
                           10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999).

                  4.3      Specimen Common Stock Certificate (incorporated by
                           reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Annual Report on Form
                           10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999).

                  4.4      Rights Agreement dated as of February 11, 1999,
                           between Registrant and American Stock Transfer &
                           Trust Company (including form of rights certificates)
                           (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4 to Current
                           Report on Form 8-K filed on February 12, 1999).

                  4.5      First Amendment to Rights Agreement dated as of
                           February 11, 1999 between Registrant and American
                           Stock Transfer & Trust Company, entered into as of
                           May 4, 2000 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.4
                           to Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter
                           ended March 31, 2000).

                  4.6      Second Amendment to Rights Agreement dated as of
                           February 11, 1999, between Registrant and American
                           Stock Transfer & Trust Company, entered into as of
                           December 6, 2001, to be effective as of March 6, 2002
                           (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.12 to Annual
                           Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
                           2001).

                  5        Opinion of Paul J. Quiner regarding the legality of
                           shares being registered.

                  23.1     Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.

                  23.2     Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

                  99.1     Per-Se Technologies, Inc. Deferred Stock Unit Plan
                           (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.44 to Annual
                           Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31,
                           2001).



ITEM 9.       UNDERTAKINGS

         (a)      The undersigned Company hereby undertakes:

                  (1)      To file, during any period in which offers or sales
are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:


                                      II-3


                           (i)      To include any prospectus required by
         Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

                           (ii)     To reflect in the prospectus any facts or
         events arising after the effective date of this Registration Statement
         (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which,
         individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the
         information set forth in this Registration Statement;

         Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) above do
not apply if the Registration Statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8 or Form F-3,
and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by
those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed by the Registrant
pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

                           (iii)    To include any material information with
         respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this
         Registration Statement or any material change to such information in
         this Registration Statement;

                  (2)      That, for the purpose of determining any liability
under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be
deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities being
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

                  (3)      To remove from registration by means of a
post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain
unsold at the termination of the offering.

         (b)      The undersigned Company hereby undertakes that, for purposes
of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of
the Company's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an
employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in this
Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement
relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities
at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

         (c)      Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling
persons of the Company pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
Company has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act
and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification
against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Company of expenses
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the Company in
the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such
director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, the Company will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter
has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate
jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public
policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of
such issue.

                         (signatures on following page)


                                      II-4




                                   SIGNATURES


         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, Per-Se
Technologies, Inc. certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it
meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this
Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized, in the City of Atlanta, State of Georgia, on May 9, 2002.



                                   PER-SE TECHNOLOGIES, INC.



                                   By: /s/ PHILIP M. PEAD
                                       ----------------------------------------
                                        Philip M. Pead
                                        President and Chief Executive Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

         KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature
appears below constitutes and appoints Chris E. Perkins and Paul J. Quiner, and
each of them, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power
of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in
any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments (including post-effective
amendments) to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all
exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and
agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and
every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the
premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in
person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and
agents or any of the, or their or his substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to
be done by virtue hereof.

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated.




         Signature                                  Title                                   Date
         ---------                                  -----                                   ----

                                                                                  

/s/ PHILIP M. PEAD                   President, Chief Executive Officer                  May 9, 2002
-----------------------------        and Director
Philip M. Pead                       (Principal Executive Officer)

/s/ CHRIS E. PERKINS                 Executive Vice President and Chief
-----------------------------
Chris E. Perkins                     Financial Officer                                   May 9, 2002
                                     (Principal Financial and Accounting
                                     Officer)



                                      II-5



                                                                                  
/s/ DAVID E. MCDOWELL                Chairman and Director
----------------------------
David E. McDowell                                                                        May 9, 2002


/s/ STEPHEN A. GEORGE, M.D.          Director
----------------------------
Stephen A. George, M.D.                                                                  May 9, 2002


/s/ DAVID R. HOLBROOKE, M.D.         Director
----------------------------
David R. Holbrooke, M.D.                                                                 May 9, 2002


/s/ CRAIG MACNAB                     Director
----------------------------
                                                                                         May 9, 2002

/s/ JOHN C. POPE                     Director
----------------------------
John C. Pope                                                                             May 9, 2002


/s/ C. CHRISTOPHER TROWER            Director
----------------------------
C. Christopher Trower                                                                    May 9, 2002



                                      II-6



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX
                                       TO
                       REGISTRATION STATEMENT ON FORM S-8




           Exhibit Number                       Description
           --------------                       -----------
                           

               4.1            Restated Certificate of Incorporation of
                              Registrant (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                              3.1 to Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year
                              ended December 31, 1999).

               4.2            Restated By-Laws of Registrant (incorporated by
                              reference to Exhibit 3.2 to Annual Report on Form
                              10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999).

               4.3            Specimen Common Stock Certificate (incorporated by
                              reference to Exhibit 4.1 to Annual Report on Form
                              10-K for the year ended December 31, 1999).

               4.4            Rights Agreement dated as of February 11, 1999,
                              between Registrant and American Stock Transfer &
                              Trust Company (including form of rights
                              certificates) (incorporated by reference to
                              Exhibit 4 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed on
                              February 12, 1999).

               4.5            First Amendment to Rights Agreement dated as of
                              February 11, 1999 between Registrant and American
                              Stock Transfer & Trust Company, entered into as of
                              May 4, 2000 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit
                              4.4 to Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the
                              quarter ended March 31, 2000).

               4.6            Second Amendment to Rights Agreement dated as of
                              February 11, 1999, between Registrant and American
                              Stock Transfer & Trust Company, entered into as of
                              December 6, 2001, to be effective as of March 6,
                              2002 (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.12 to
                              Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
                              December 31, 2001).

               5              Opinion of Paul J. Quiner regarding the legality
                              of shares being registered.

               23.1           Consent of Ernst & Young LLP.

               23.2           Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

               99.1           Per-Se Technologies, Inc. Deferred Stock Unit Plan
                              (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.44 to
                              Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended
                              December 31, 2001).