{"id":3599,"date":"2012-09-13T14:11:00","date_gmt":"2012-09-13T14:11:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/cloudnewsdaily.com\/?guid=847e325c3dad54c90d9be5df5183efdc"},"modified":"2012-09-13T14:11:00","modified_gmt":"2012-09-13T14:11:00","slug":"athenahealth-acquires-healthcare-data-services","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/icloud.pe\/blog\/athenahealth-acquires-healthcare-data-services\/","title":{"rendered":"athenahealth Acquires Healthcare Data Services"},"content":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n

athenahealth, Inc., a\u00a0 provider of cloud-based practice management<\/strong><\/a>, electronic health record<\/strong><\/a> (EHR<\/strong>), and care coordination services, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Healthcare Data Services LLC<\/strong><\/a> (HDS), a web-based solutions provider and expert in health care data analysis and population health management for payers and providers. It is anticipated that the transaction will close in October 2012. <\/span><\/p>\n

This acquisition is expected to expand athenahealth\u2019s cloud-based services portfolio to include high-value, population-based cost and quality data analysis and reporting capabilities. By expanding its services in this way, athenahealth will be strengthening its ability to support health care organizations to navigate the growing number of risk-based payment models, and align care coordination with patient population needs.<\/p>\n

\u201cValue-based payment models are fundamentally changing the way patient care is coordinated, delivered, and reimbursed,\u201d said Jonathan Bush, CEO and chairman of athenahealth. \u201cWith HDS, we can help health care organizations to thrive in the face of change\u2014to drive down costs through smart, high quality care coordination and to understand the totality of services being provided. This acquisition supports our existing efforts to create an information backbone that makes health care work as it should.\u201d<\/p>\n

<\/span><\/p>\n

New payment models offered by the U.S. government and commercial health plans aim to create a reimbursement system that links care reimbursement to the quality of care delivered and, ultimately, to reduce overall health care expenses for populations of patients. These risk-based contracts come in a variety of models, including pay-for-performance (P4P) incentives, bundled payments, shared savings, and global capitation; each requires improved insight into patient population data so that health care organizations can gauge and manage patient needs while simultaneously tracking and adjusting their own performance against risk-based reimbursement contracts.<\/p>\n

The addition of HDS would bring many advantages and synergies that would expand athenahealth\u2019s recognition as a single-source provider of best-in-class workflow and data insight solutions to support all payment models:<\/p>\n