CMA clears £1.2bn deal between healthcare tech providers

 

 

The Competition and Markets Authority has approved the acquisition of EMIS Group Plc by UnitedHealth Group Incorporated (UH).

EMIS supplies data management systems to the NHS, including the electronic patient record system used by the majority of NHS GPs. Optum, part of UH, currently supplies software used by GPs when prescribing medicines

The CMA found during its Phase 1 investigation that there was a realistic prospect of a substantial lessening of competition (SLC) as a result of partial foreclosure in the supply of medicines optimisation (MO) software and population health management (PHM) services in the UK.

In its Phase 2 investigation the CMA found that although EMIS holds a strong market position in the supply of electronic patient record systems the merger may not be expected to result in a SLC.

The CMA did not consider that the merged entity would have the incentive to engage in partial foreclosure in the supply of MO software by restricting access to EMIS's electronic patient record system..

The merged entity would not have the ability to partially foreclose Optum's PHM services rivals by restricting access to the primary care data held by EMIS.

 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/cma-clears-nhs-healthcare-tech-deal