With its announcement last month of an agreement to acquire US Oncology for $2.16 billion, McKesson Corporation has greatly expanded its presence in oncology. US Oncology provides practice management services in support of 1,392 oncologists who work at 517 locations in 39 states. US Oncology is also a partner in the med fusion joint venture laboratory that opened in Dallas, Texas, this spring. US Oncology estimates that it serves 17% of all cancer patients in the United States. Wall Street analysts say that, when the US Oncology business is combined with McKesson’s existing oncology business, McKesson will serve approximately 3,000 physicians and have a 25% market share of specialty pharmaceutical sales volume. It was 2007 when McKesson paid $575 million to purchase Oncology Therapeutics Network.
MORE ON: McKesson
Pathologists and lab administrators will recognize another name associated with US Oncology. It was owned by Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe. This is the same private equity company that was a major shareholder at LabOne, Inc., and was owner of AmeriPath, Inc., which it sold to Quest Diagnostics Incorporated for almost $2 billion in 2007.
STERLING LABS RECOGNIZED AS “FAVORITE FIRM”
Tacoma, Washington-based Sterling Reference Laboratories, Inc., recently earned a distinctive honor. In a public survey, it was voted by citizens as a “Favorite Pierce County Company.” In a news story about its selection, Sterling’s owners were recognized for their exceptional efforts to turn around the struggling lab company after they purchased it seven years ago. It was noted that, during a time when there was not enough money to pay bonuses, the owners washed employee’s cars to make clear their appreciation. Now the company is hiring during the down economy and employs a staff of 85.
TRANSITIONS
- Neogenomics, Inc., of Fort Myers, Florida, has appointed Kevin C. Johnson to its Board of Directors. Johnson served as Chairman, CEO, and President of Dianon Systems, Inc., prior to and through its sale to Laboratory Corporation of America in early 2003. Johnson also held executive positions at MetPath, Inc., Corning Clinical Laboratories, and Quest Diagnostics Incorporated.
Dark Daily Update
Have you caught the latest e-briefings from DARK Daily? If so, then you’d know about…
. . . the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) recently-released report on group purchasing organizations (GPOs) and whether they actually save money for member hospitals.
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