Global Healthcare Exchange (GHX), a provider of cloud-based healthcare supply chain management solutions, has entered into an agreement to acquire a majority of the assets and employees of Germany-based Medical Columbus.

Medical Columbus is a provider of healthcare procurement software for providers and suppliers across Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands.

The acquisition expands GHX’s European supply chain and procurement products portfolio to deliver even greater efficiency and value to the healthcare community. The acquisition is expected to close in about three months.

Both companies’ solutions serve providers, suppliers and group purchasing organizations (GPOs) in healthcare. The combined product offering gives GHX the ability to expand its procurement solutions offering and its trading partner network in key markets in Europe while helping to deliver operational efficiencies for both providers and suppliers in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. GHX has been operating in Europe since 2000.

“The solutions and employee team we are acquiring is a tremendous addition to GHX Europe,” said Bruce Johnson, CEO and president of GHX.

“With this acquisition, we are enhancing our solutions portfolio and expanding our footprint in Europe. This is great for our multi-national suppliers and local European provider customers by providing them with a larger pool of potential trading partners that can fuel increased business process efficiencies.”

Added Dirk Isenberg, CEO at Medical Columbus, “We are pleased to be joining with GHX to help drive down costs in healthcare, allowing our customers access to best of breed e-catalogue and e-procurement solutions.”

With more than 4,000 hospitals and 18,000 provider facilities worldwide in the GHX community, the acquisition reinforces GHX’s commitment to remove cost from healthcare by continuing to grow a global trading partner network that benefits both provider and suppliers.

Founded in 1998, Medical Columbus is one of the e-health pioneers focusing on procurement processes. The company’s transaction platform synchronizes the various IT systems and catalog data from medical device, pharmaceutical industry, and hospital customers.

By standardizing data and processes, mistakes are avoided, processing times are shortened, and costs for suppliers and providers are significantly reduced. Medical Columbus products are best of breed in modern healthcare supply chain solutions.

Source: Company Press Release