A Medical Device Daily

Eclipsys (Boca Raton, Florida), a provider of advanced integrated information software, reported that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the business ofSysware Healthcare Systems (Southfield, Michigan), including its related software development organization in India, for an undisclosed sum.

Eclipsys said that the transaction is expected to close in early July. It projects that all current Sysware employees will become employees of Eclipsys, adding about 130 in North America and Baroda, India.

The company said that since 2004 they have shared a business relationship that enabled Eclipsys to remarket Sysware's laboratory information system (LIS) as Sunrise Laboratory, part of a comprehensive Eclipsys solution.

The company said the acquisition will provide it and its customers the benefits of an expanded Eclipsys solution set. It also gives the company better control over its laboratory information system and a development and support organization in India that can be used to help manage growth in a high quality, cost-effective manner.

The transaction is not expected to have a material impact on Eclipsys' results of operations for 2006, it said.

McKesson (San Francisco) reported the acquisition of RelayHealth (Emeryville, California), a provider of online physician/patient communication services. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

The acquisition of RelayHealth follows a strategic investment made in 2005 by McKesson with the goal of expanding its commitment in the personal health management space, it said.

McKesson also reported a new Personal Health Solutions group within its Provider Technologies segment.

Personal Health Solutions will serve the growing market for interactive technologies that empower consumers and patients through secure electronic access to healthcare providers, personal health records, healthcare financial management systems and other tools.

In addition to RelayHealth, McKesson's personal health solutions prodcts include in-home patient monitoring, web portal technology, triage software and personal emergency response systems.

Founded in 1999, RelayHealth pioneered the webVisit, a secure, insurer-reimbursed online consultation between physicians and patients. Today, RelayHealth's network includes more than 18,000 health professionals, 600,000 patients and more than a dozen reimbursing health plans, including many of the largest national and regional insurers in the U.S.

In addition to the webVisit, RelayHealth services enable patients to maintain their own personal health records at home, view prescription medication lists and request renewals, set appointments, receive test results and securely communicate with their healthcare providers.

McKesson is a healthcare IT and automation supplier, reporting products in 65% of U.S. health systems. McKesson also provides solutions to payor organizations reaching more than 80% of U.S. covered lives.

In other dealmaking news:

• BriteSmile (Walnut Creek, California) reported that its board has unanimously rejected an unsolicited proposal by Futuredontics (Los Angeles) to acquire the outstanding shares of BriteSmile for $2 per share in cash and $2 per share in Futuredontics common stock.

The proposal, unilaterally disclosed by Futuredontics last Friday, BriteSmile said, “was not based on any prior discussions with BriteSmile . . . and BriteSmile had not agreed to public disclosure of the proposal at this time.”

The company emphasized that discussions with Futuredontics following receipt of the proposal were “very preliminary,” and that neither party had conducted any due diligence with respect to the other.

Futuredontics is a privately held dental referral service.

• ATC Healthcare (Lake Success, New York), a medical staffing company, said it has closed on its acquisition of the assets of Critical Nursing Services (CNS; Gilbert, Arizona), a provider of per diem and travel nursing in the Arizona market. CNS has locations in Phoenix, Tucson and Gilbert, Arizona, as well as a travel division located in Whitefish, Montana. CNS, which had revenue of about $7 million dollars, last year, will be accretive to the earnings of ATC.