UnitedHealth Group to buy GP IT provider EMIS for £1.2billion

American health giant UnitedHealth Group has agreed to acquire EMIS Group in an all-cash deal which is worth around £1.24billion ($1.51billion).

According to a Reuters report on June 17, EMIS said that it had agreed to be acquired by Optum Health Solutions, an arm of UnitedHealth Group.

Bordeaux UK Holdings II Limited, an affiliate of UnitedHealth’s Optum business in the UK, will pay £1.95 for each EMIS share.

Reuters report that the EMIS directors intend to ‘unanimously recommend’ the deal to shareholders.

EMIS provides healthcare software, information technology and other services in the NHS, with a focus on primary care and pharmacy systems. Along with rival TPP the company dominates the NHS primary care IT market.

Optum’s UK business has operated in the UK for 20 years.