Healthland buys American HealthTech

Two healthcare technology companies have agreed to combine their product offerings into continuum-of-care solutions that will span hospitals, clinics and post-acute care facilities.

Minneapolis-based Healthland, a longtime player in healthcare information technology for rural and community hospitals, has acquired American HealthTech, Jackson, Miss., a provider of electronic health record (EHR) systems and documentation software designed for long-term and post-acute care organizations.

In today’s environment of patient-centered care, EHR data sharing and coordinated discharge planning across service sectors, the marriage makes sense: American HealthTech provides electronic health record technology and software solutions to nearly one-fifth of long-term and post-acute care organizations in the lower 48 states. Healthland, ranked #71 in corporate revenue on the 2013 Healthcare Informatics 100, is the only national EHR company dedicated to the rural hospital market. Although the two companies will continue to operate under their own names, the acquisition will expand the opportunities for both companies, allowing the service range to cover everything from acute care to home care, company representatives said.

“Many providers need solutions and tools to make the transition from a fee-for-service system to a population management model. We will provide a critical element of that transformation—a shared health record that follows the patient across the entire care continuum, including preventive, outpatient, inpatient, post-acute and in-home care,” said Angie Franks, Healthland president and CEO, in a corporate release.

American HealthTech President Teresa Chase noted, “As we saw changes unfolding in national healthcare reform, it became clear that we needed to respond to our customers’ requests for a continuum of solutions by partnering with a company which could expand our reach to include clinics, hospitals and home care with a comprehensive, integrated information management solution.” American HealthTech will continue to serve the skilled nursing sector, Chase added. “We are dedicated to the skilled care industry, including clinical, resident accounting, financial, and enterprise software solutions, and that won’t change. By combining with Healthland, we can advance our services into an integrated, community-wide approach to care.”

Both companies say two markets are better than one, especially when all parties can work together to reduce the national targets of hospital readmissions, preventable infections and pressure ulcers. “Our shared vision with American HealthTech is a complete EHR solution that will enable hospitals to reduce readmissions and leverage the shared patient record to capture and use the data to improve patient outcomes,” Franks said.

Pamela Tabar

Pamela Tabar was editor-in-chief of I Advance Senior Care from 2013-2018. She has worked as a writer and editor for healthcare business media since 1998, including as News Editor of Healthcare Informatics. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Kent State University and a master’s degree in English from the University of York, England.