Omnicell, Inc. Closes Acquisition of UK-Based SurgiChem

Omnicell, Inc., a leading provider of medication and supply management solutions to healthcare systems, has completed the acquisition of Surgichem Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bupa Care Homes (CFG) plc. Following the recent clearance by the UK competition authority, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), Surgichem will be integrated with Omnicell’s existing UK business, MTS Medication Technologies Limited in the coming months.

SurgiChem, based in Stockport, UK, is a provider of medication adherence packaging solutions to the UK care home and domiciliary care markets. Surgichem supplies its monitored dosage systems to a network of more than 3200 independent pharmacies and larger UK pharmacy chains. MTS Medication Technologies Ltd was acquired by Omnicell in 2012 and is the world’s leading supplier of medication adherence packaging solutions.

“As is the case globally, UK healthcare professionals and caregivers are seeking to improve patient outcomes, reduce medication errors and lower costs by effectively managing compliance to prescribed medication regimes,” said Randall Lipps, chairman, president and CEO of Omnicell. “This acquisition is a clear opportunity to bring together the experience of two technology leaders with the mission to extend patient health and satisfaction through convenient, effective medication adherence solutions.”

According to the World Health Organization, poor adherence to medication leads to increased morbidity and death. Approximately 50% of patients in developed countries do not take their medications as prescribed, and up to two-thirds of all medication-related hospitalizations is the result of non-adherence. Health care systems and community pharmacies agree that resolving medication non-adherence, an issue that has been estimated to cost up to $290 (USD) billion annually in the US and £500 (GBP) million per year in the UK, is a key to delivering better clinical outcomes and financial results.

“Omnicell is committed to improving medication adherence in the UK. We expect that combining the leading multi- and single-dose packaging technologies of MTS Medication Technologies with the very complementary Surgichem offering will help to solve the issue by speeding the development of new products and services for the UK adherence market, benefiting our pharmacy customers and their patients,” added Mr. Lipps. “Omnicell is passionate about our mission to make taking medication as easy and safe as possible for everyone.”