Cerner completes Siemens Health Services acquisition

Cerner has completed the acquisition of Siemens AG’s health information technology business unit, Siemens Health Services, for $1.3 billion in cash.

The acquisition was announced last August, received regulatory clearance in September, and was completed yesterday.  

Cerner and Siemens AG have also formed a strategic alliance designed to advance industry innovation. Each company plans to invest up to $50 million during an initial three-year period with a focus on integrating diagnostics and therapeutics into the electronic health record.

According to Cerner, with the acquisition of Siemens Health Services, Cerner expects to see combined annual revenues of between $4.8 and $5 billion.

“By combining client bases, investments in R&D and associates, we are in a great position to lead clients through one of the most dynamic eras in health care,” said Neal Patterson, Cerner chairman, CEO and co-founder, in a statement. “Cerner remains focused on key development areas including population health, physician experience, open platforms, revenue cycle and mobility. We see these as critical areas of investment to ensure providers can meet growing regulatory demands and control costs, while continuing to improve quality of care.” 

Michael Bassett,

Contributor

Around the web

The patient, who was being cared for in the ICU, was not accompanied or monitored by nursing staff during his exam, despite being sedated.

The nuclear imaging isotope shortage of molybdenum-99 may be over now that the sidelined reactor is restarting. ASNC's president says PET and new SPECT technologies helped cardiac imaging labs better weather the storm.

CMS has more than doubled the CCTA payment rate from $175 to $357.13. The move, expected to have a significant impact on the utilization of cardiac CT, received immediate praise from imaging specialists.