SMS COMPLETES LARGE EUROPEAN ACQUISITIONSMS, Malvern, Pa., made significant headway in the European healthcare IT market by acquiring German company, Data-Plan Software GmbH for approximately $70 million in SMS stock. SMS says it will continue to support Data-Plan’s clinical and financial software which is installed in more than 300 hospitals in Germany. Data-Plan is a $25 million company with approximately 200 employees and is based in St. Wolfgang, Germany.
THE MEDICAL MANAGER CONTINUES CONSOLIDATION
The Medical Manager Corporation, Tampa, Fla., announced it has purchased eight more of its independent dealerships that sell the Medical Manager practice management information system. The dealerships are located in California, New York, Colorado, Idaho, Texas, Oregon and Florida. Included in the acquisition were Companion Technologies of Florida and Companion Technologies of Texas, two of the largest Medical Manager dealerships in the country. Combined 1997 revenues of the eight dealerships was $16.8 million.
TWO HIT CONSULTING FIRMS UNITE
Healthcare information technology consulting firms Exemplar Systems, Inc., Cincinnati, and DARCA, Inc., Overland Park, Kan., merged operations. The resulting company is Elumen Solutions, Inc. with headquarters in Cincinnati. Exemplar’s Chris Bergmann takes over as president and CEO of Elumen Solutions.
SUPERIOR CONSULTANT BUYS MEDITECH EXPERTS
Superior Consultant Holdings Corp. acquired Multimedia Medical Systems’ Network Services Division, Burlington, Mass., for $4.9 million in cash. The Network Services Division specializes in implementing MEDITECH healthcare software. John Haffty, former Multimedia Medical Systems senior vice president, becomes Superior’s divisional vice president for its national MEDITECH practice.
HEARST ACQUIRES MEDI-SPAN
New York-based publishing and communications company, The Hearst Corporation, announced it has acquired pharmaceutical information database company, Medi-Span Inc., Indianapolis. Hearst is already established in this market as the parent company of First DataBank Inc., San Bruno, Calif. Medi-Span’s clinical drug database is used by pharmacies, provider organization and managed care organizations to track drug to drug interactions and other pharmaceutical reference data.
NEW NETWORK LAUNCHED
Pharmaceutical company Andrx Corp., Fort Lauderdale, Fla., launched into healthcare IT with a new subsidiary, CyBear Inc. The new company will provide an Internet-based communications network to relay prescription, referral and patient encounter information among healthcare professionals. CyBear signed Victorville, Calif. practice management company Prime Care International as a beta test site.
QUADRAMED, SUPERIOR TACKLE FRAUD AND ABUSE
QuadraMed, Corp., Larkspur, Calif., and Superior Consultant Holdings Corp., Southfield, Mich., announced they are targeting Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse with a joint agreement. QuadraMed’s QuanTIM FACTS (Fraud and Abuse Compliance Tool Set will be offered with Superior’s Medicare and Medicaid Corporate Compliance Program consulting services. Superior will provide financial, risk management and legal services to contracted healthcare providers.
