First Databank affiliate acquires HIT company Design Clinicals

An affiliate of San Francisco-based First Databank, which provides health professionals with clinical drug knowledge to aid in medication-related decisions, has acquired Seattle healthcare information technology company Design Clinicals.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Design Clinicals' products are already being made available through First Databank. That includes Design Clinicals' most well-known offering, MedsTracker, a medication reconciliation software program that works with a healthcare facility's existing computerized physician order entry, pharmacy and electronic medication administration record systems.

The integration of Design Clinicals' software is expected to assist First Databank in helping hospitals meet the conditions for the government's meaningful use of electronic health-record program, especially now that medication reconciliation is a requirement for Meaningful Use Stage 2.

“The Design Clinicals acquisition supports FDB's mission of delivering solutions that help improve medication-related decisions,” First Databank's Executive Vice President Bob Katter said in a news release. “The optimal electronic medication reconciliation solution needs to incorporate intuitive drug knowledge and seamlessly integrate with the leading information system vendors. This is where the combined abilities of FDB and Design Clinicals are well positioned.”

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