US laboratory systems firm, Sunquest Information Systems Inc, has signed a definitive agreement to acquire UK firm Anglia Healthcare Systems.
Anglia specialises in laboratory information, e-requesting and order communications systems, supplying both the primary and secondary care sectors.
The firm has enjoyed strong demand for its Anglia ICE e-requesting product, both in direct sales to NHS trusts and through BT, which has provdied ICE as an ‘interim’ system to trusts in London under the NHS National Programme for IT.
The terms of the acquisition, which is expected to complete during November, were not disclosed. Anglia is currently a privately owned company.
US-based Sunquest says the acquisition will “strengthen its global presence and provide a complementary solution set”, that delivers web-based functionality which enables electronic requesting and reporting between the laboratory and GPs and clinicians in primary and secondary care.
“This agreement emphasises Sunquest’s commitment to the UK and international markets,” said Richard Atkin, president and CEO of Sunquest Information Systems.
“Anglia has built a reputation for providing solutions that combine ease of use with the highest levels of capability. I look forward to welcoming the Anglia customers and employees to the Sunquest family, and working together to leverage our combined capabilities for solution innovation, market leadership, and industry-leading customer service.”
“I am impressed by Sunquest’s long term commitment to the laboratory information systems market and dedication to customer service,” says David Wilson, founder and managing director of Anglia Healthcare Systems Ltd.
Wilson added: “. “As part of a larger, global business, the Anglia organization and the ICE solution set will benefit from the scale and access to increased resources within Sunquest.”
Sunquest says combining its laboratory information systems, anatomic pathology systems, and radiology information systems with Anglia’s ICE portfolio “will enable improved connectivity, communications and messaging between Patient Administration Systems, Laboratory Information Management Systems, Radiology Information Systems, GP practices and secondary care based systems and patients.
“The Anglia customer base includes some of the largest and most advanced acute care providers in Western Europe,” says David Allcock, vice president of Sunquest’s London-based international operations. “This planned investment in Anglia will significantly increase our UK and international customer base, and will put us in a solid position to further increase our global presence.”
Sunquest designs, develops, and supports a comprehensive suite of information products for hospitals and laboratories that include laboratory, radiology, and pharmacy systems. The company has systems installed in more than 1,000 US hospitals and commercial laboratories. Internationally the company counts over 60 customers in Canada, UK, Western Europe, and the Middle East.
Sunquest was founded in 1979. Between 2001 and 2007 the company was owned by UK-based public company Misys. Since October 2007 the company has been privately owned after it was acquired by Vista Equity Partners of San Francisco, California.
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