Harris Corp. expands federal health IT portfolio
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
By Eric Wicklund, Healthcare IT News
The Harris Corp., an international communications and information technology company, is seeking a bigger piece of the federal healthcare pie with its acquisition of Patriot Technologies, a provider of healthcare information technology to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->
Harris, based in Melbourne, Fla., has been making its mark in federal government healthcare for the past couple of years, and has its sights set firmly on the $3.4 billion market with this deal, the terms of which were not disclosed. Patriot Technologies, based in King of Prussia, Pa., supplies IT, imaging and enterprise software solutions for the VA.<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->
“Patriot's VA credentials, relationships and healthcare IT expertise are strong additions to our federal healthcare solutions initiatives," said Howard L. Lance, chairman, president and CEO of Harris. "With this acquisition, Harris is well-positioned for a lead role in VA healthcare information technology and broader federal healthcare integration.”<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->
Harris has supplied systems integration, imaging and digital content management services for the Department of Defense and Department of Health and Human Services’ Federal Health Architecture. Analysts say the company’s acquisition of Patriot allows them to offer an integrated platform for VA and military health system operations.<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->
“Patriot is highly regarded at the VA for their technical excellence, mission expertise and exceptional customer support," said Jim Traficant, vice president of Harris Healthcare Solutions, based in Washington D.C., which will fold in Patriot as part of its portfolio. “Joining forces positions Harris for a lead role supporting joint VA and DoD priorities of integrated care and benefits delivery.”<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->
Harris was awarded a federal contract in 2008, along with partners Agilex Technologies and Scenpro, to develop CONNECT, an implementation of the Nationwide Health Information Network that enables federal agencies and healthcare providers to exchange patient information directly over the NHIN. The solution – version 2.2 of which was released earlier this month – was made available by the DHS in February and put into use by the Social Security Administration and five other federal agencies; as many as 14 federal entities are expected to link into the network in the near future.<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->
The company also has a footprint in the private sector. In February, the Rockledge, Fla.-based Health First healthcare system tapped Harris to provide network management and IT services for its three hospitals, network of outpatient and wellness services and other healthcare operations.
