Harris Computer Systems, through its healthcare group, has acquired Uniphy Health, a startup focused on clinical communications and physician workflow software. The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
Uniphy works with healthcare organizations to build each one a single app that brings together many different workflow needs for physicians. Depending on the platform's needs, the app can support secure messaging, secure image sharing, group announcements, a physician directory and referrals. The company also offers a patient-facing app, incorporating the patient portal, secure messaging, and hospital resources.
According to the companies, Uniphy's apps reach 90,000 clinicians at hospitals including Hackensack Meridian Health, UNC Health Care, Catholic Health Services of Long Island and BayCare.
"Uniphy Health's mission critical solutions have demonstrated a unique ability to solve healthcare's complex communication challenges," Santina Allen, senior executive vice president for the Harris Healthcare group. "The Uniphy Health clients have achieved impressive levels of user adoption. We are anxious to bring this solution to other healthcare systems looking improve patient outcomes and high-value performance metrics."
WHAT'S THE IMPACT
The acquisition brings Harris a powerful new physician workflow tool which has already been successfully integrated with its EHR at at least one health system: Hunterdon Healthcare in New Jersey.
"We have worked with Harris Healthcare and Uniphy Health for over 10 years and they both have been fantastic partners. I am delighted by this news," Dr. Wayne Fellmeth, Hunterdon Healthcare's CMIO, said in a statement. "We integrated the Uniphy Health and Harris QCPR (EHR) three years ago. It was easily implemented and this has been delivering positive outcomes for our patients."
For Uniphy, the acquisition brings an opportunity for rapid institutional scaling, including a much larger salesforce, Uniphy cofounder Adam Turinas told MobiHealthNews in an email. Uniphy's full team is making the move and will stay put in its offices in Newark, reporting to Harris's Clinical Solutions business. Existing Uniphy customers won't experience any changes.
WHAT'S THE TREND
Less than a year ago, Harris Healthcare acquired Boxford, Massachusetts-based Iatric Systems, which specializes in integration tools to help hospitals optimize their electronic health records and other IT infrastructure. As with this application, they kept Iatric as an independent business. Together, the two acquisitions demonstrate that Harris is investing in not only expanding its EHR and hospital IT business, but keeping on the cutting edge of innovation.
And that's a smart place to be, because it seems like startups are chomping at the bit lately to finally disrupt the notoriously poor user experience of EHRs. TransformativeMed announced $5.8 million in funding just yesterday for EHR workflow improvement tools, and Vital, a new company recently launched by former Mint.com founder Aaron Patzer, is also playing in the EHR workflow/ care coordination space.
ON THE RECORD
"I am thrilled by this acquisition. Our momentum has been accelerating as major healthcare systems have seen the unique benefits of our highly adaptable communications and collaboration platform," Turinas said in a statement. "As part of the Harris Healthcare family, Uniphy Health is positioned for continued success."
