3 Health Care IT Vendors You Should Be Watching in 2015
While news of Ebola and security breaches overpowered the airwaves, 2014 was also a big year for health care IT developments. From greater interoperability to the adoption of business intelligence tools for predictive analytics, tech was at the forefront of the industry.
The following IT vendors are the ones that deserve all eyes during the new year.
1. Cerner
Based out of Missouri, Cerner gained a lot of momentum in 2014 as a growing number of physician practices and hospitals adopted its electronic health record (EHR) systems and ancillary technologies.
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Last year, Cerner acquired Siemens AG’s EHR unit for $1.3 billion and now has “the biggest U.S. market share of any EHR vendor” with 1,132 acute care hospitals, according to Health IT Exchange.
Additionally, Cerner is increasing its focus on predictive analytics, recently launching HealtheIntent – a multipurpose, cloud-based programmable platform that allows health care systems to aggregate, transform and reconcile data.
2. athenahealth
athenahealth is entering all fields of health care markets, from medical billing to EHRs and business intelligence. Even medical apps are being created by the group.
Just this week, athenahealth announced that it will acquire RazorInsights, a provider of cloud-based EHR and financial solutions for rural, critical access and community hospitals. The goal is to extend a presence into the 50-bed-and-under inpatient care environment, which reportedly accounts for approximately one-third of the U.S. hospital market.
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Financial analysts offered a cautious outlook, however, with the Wall Street reporting the company expects sales of $900 million to $925 million and earnings of $1.20 to $1.30 a share. Thomson Reuters analysts also polled a revenue of $924 million and per-share earnings of $1.25 in 2015.
3. Accenture
Accenture was hired as the global vendor to fix the signature website of the Affordable Care Act – Healthcare.gov – after its initial catastrophic launch. By the end of 2014, due to its impressive work, Accenture landed a multi-year, $563-million contract to continue its work on the site.
It only took two years for the firm to overcome criticism from ethical lapses and earn this prominent victory. It will be interesting to see what will come from it and if more opportunities will arise.
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