By Devisa Ransom, Analyst Relations Manager, ACS, A Xerox Company
So what’s the big deal? With over 100 completed acquisitions, why is the latest acquisition of The Breakaway Group by ACS, A Xerox Company, worth more than a nod? Let’s face it, there’s always a bit of curiosity whenever a corporation completes an acquisition. What are the benefits… competitive advantages? As an AR practitioner, I always wait with bated breath to learn if the union will be received positively by our influential industry analysts.
Based on the number of briefing and information requests received following the announcement, I believe it’s safe to say industry analysts are intrigued… and with good reason. Let me explain.
ACS, with the addition of The Breakaway Group, now has a more robust offering that enables hospitals to get quality data into their Electronic Medical Records (EMR) — helping them improve patient care and control costs. The Breakaway Group developed a proprietary cloud-based service, PromisePoint®, which helps healthcare professionals accelerate their adoption of EMR. Similar to the way pilots use flight simulation for training and safety, PromisePoint allows caregivers to safely practice entering orders and patient care documents in an environment that simulates software used in a hospital or doctor’s office. By simulating their environment, they learn to enter orders and document patient care without jeopardizing real patient data.
Now, ACS not only selects, deploys, integrates and supports EMR technology, but we can also educate and ensure healthcare professionals use the EMR system for clinical benefit. So, what may have initially appeared to be just another purchase by an acquisitive company turns out to be the formation of a comprehensive, innovative healthcare solution.
So, what’s the big deal? Let’s see what the analysts are saying.
The Breakaway proposition will have wide appeal to most healthcare providers needing to respond to ICD-10 and other healthcare reform changes, in particular large providers with hundreds of physicians often spread over a wide geographic area such as large practice groups, integrated delivery networks (IDN) and regional extension centers.
Charles Juniper, NelsonHall
The meaningful use incentives associated with adoption of EMR solutions has spurred the slumbering healthcare industry. Healthcare as a vertical has tremendous opportunity. It will take partnerships, mergers and acquisitions of like-minded companies to fix this problem. ACS has shown the foresight to find the gaps in their healthcare solutions and found a solution by acquiring The Breakaway Group.
Mike Huster, Photizo Group
