International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM) announced its acquisition of Truven Health Analytics for $2.6 billion to boost its Watson Health portfolio. Truven Health is one of the leading providers of cloud-based healthcare data, analytics and insights with more than 8,500 clients
In a statement, Truven Health President and CEO Mike Boswood said, “The Truven Health Analytics team is eager to combine our capabilities and expertise with the Watson Health portfolio. This will help catapult the industry forward to transform healthcare and to save and improve lives.”
IBM will have the world’s largest collection of health-related data
IBM’s health cloud is expected to have one of the world’s largest and most diverse collections of health-related data after completing the acquisition. The tech giant plans to integrate Truven Health’s extensive cloud-based data set covering hundreds of different types of cost, claims, quality and outcome information with its existing data sets.
Deborah DiSanzo, general manager for IBM Watson Health, said, “With this acquisition, IBM will be one of the world’s leading health data, analytics and insights companies, and the only one that can deliver the unique cognitive capabilities of the Watson platform.”
She added that Truven Health’s “impressive team, extensive client roster, and expansive data sets complement Watson Health’s broad-based team, capabilities and offerings.”
DiSanzo believes that the combined companies are well positioned to expand globally and to build first-in-class offerings to help clients apply cognitive insights in a value-based care environment.
Fourth major health data related acquisition
Truven Health is the fourth major health-data related company acquired by IBM since launching Watson Health in April 2015.
IBM’s investments in acquisitions and development of unparalleled array of cognitive healthcare capabilities will be more than $4 billion following the closing of the transaction.
Watson Health will have more than 5,000 employees worldwide including clinicians, epidemiologists, statisticians, healthcare administrators, policy experts and healthcare consultants.
Healthcare organizations will be able to create unique insights that help inform a broad range of health decisions through the Watson Health Cloud.
 announced its acquisition of Truven Health Analytics for $2.6 billion to boost its Watson Health portfolio.){kind=link}