GE Healthcare to purchase API Healthcare

GE Healthcare has agreed a deal to purchase US-based API Healthcare for an undisclosed fee, with the transaction set to close in the first quarter of 2014.

API Healthcare is a healthcare workforce management software and analytics solutions provider. Its various product offerings are used by more than 1,600 hospitals and staffing agencies in the US.

The acquisition aligns with GE's Industrial Internet strategy, which is based around investment in strong, innovative businesses that enhance the company's portfolio of software, data and analytics solutions.

Improving operational efficiencies is becoming increasingly critical for healthcare administrators, making operational management systems more important than ever in driving enterprise-wide efficiencies, reducing unnecessary costs and enabling improved care.

John Dineen, president and chief executive officer of GE Healthcare, said: "Over the next five to seven years, we believe sales of these systems will accelerate towards double-digit growth and GE Healthcare will lead the way."

This comes after the firm also agreed to purchase health and social care consultancy Finnamore earlier this month, as well as acquiring several strategic assets from Thermo Fisher Scientific.