Sunquest completes purchase of Anglia Healthcare

Sunquest Information Systems, the US specialist in laboratory and diagnostic information systems, has completed the acquisition of Anglia Healthcare Systems.

Anglia, which had been privately-held, is a UK company providing laboratory connectivity, orders, reporting and messaging products. As of Monday the firm became a subsidiary of Sunquest Information Systems, Inc.

The completion of the deal follows the signing of a definitive agreement on 27 October, for Sunquest to acquire Anglia.

Sunquest says that by combining its best-of-suite LIS solutions with a complementary and comprehensive set of solutions, it will be able to enable better communications between hospitals, laboratories, physicians, communities, and patients.

In the UK Anglia has been best known for its ICE products, which had been offered as a relatively low cost order requesting and communications tool that can interact with a wide range of third party laboratory information system, patient administration systems and radiology information systems. ICE systems are installed at 175 sites in the UK, Ireland and Denmark.

ICE Desktop is now the most widely installed order communication and reporting system in the UK, said to be installed in over 60 acute NHS trusts.

Following the acquisition Anglia ICE, now Sunquest ICE, may provide Sunquest with a strategic bridgehead from which to upsell existing customers into its core LIS and diagnostics information sytems product family, and an affordable entry point for new customers.

“We are pleased to welcome the Anglia customers and employees to the Sunquest family,” Richard Atkin, president and CEO of Sunquest Information Systems, Inc., said in a statement. “This is the beginning of a very exciting future together as we fulfill our mutual commitment to solutions innovation, market leadership, and industry-leading customer service.”

“As a customer of both companies, I am extremely excited about the acquisition,” commented Shelley McIndoe, Head of ICT at Dorset County Hospital Foundation Trust. “By combining Anglia’s innovative culture with Sunquest’s strengths in implementation, support and their commitment to UK and international market growth, the winners will be customers and patients.”

“Our first priority going forward is to meet with our customers in the UK and Western Europe to reiterate our unwavering commitment to provide them with the industry’s leading solutions and customer service,” said David Allcock, vice president of Sunquest’s London-based international operations.