OCHIN acquiring Oregon Health Network

OCHIN, a Portland, Ore.-based not-for-profit health information network, will acquire Oregon Health Network, another not-for-profit network, which created Oregon's first broadband telehealth system.

Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Leaders of the two organizations said they will integrate their operations when the acquisition becomes effective April 1.

“OHN's infrastructure and knowledgeable staff are a perfect complement to OCHIN's EHR, data analytics, quality and clinical improvement expertise,” Abby Sears, OCHIN's CEO, said in a news release.

“Our nation's healthcare landscape is in the midst of a massive redesign effort,” Kim Lamb, OHN's executive director, said in the release. “This reform effort requires that healthcare and healthcare education providers completely retool their business, care and education model systems.”

OCHIN was established through a partnership in 2000. An independent not-for-profit since 2002, it now operates in 14 states, using health IT to bring improved delivery of healthcare to safety net clinics, small and private practices, and specialists. The organization reported revenue of $18.04 million and expenses of $17.13 million on its most recently filed tax return for the fiscal year ended Aug. 31, 2011.

OHN's broadband infrastructure assists in statewide coordination of care for physicians, allied providers, clinics, health organizations, educators, students and government agencies. For the period ending June 30, 2011, OHN showed $242,100 in revenue and $1.31 million in expenses on its not-for-profit tax return.