Apple, Cerner & Microsoft are interested in buying athenahealth: Here's why this CEO says they won't

The health IT industry is abuzz with rumors that athenahealth could sell itself after Elliot Management made an unsolicited bid for the EHR vendor in early May worth almost $7 billion — but Elliott Management may not be the only prospective buyer, according to Albany, N.Y.-based Alliance for Better Health CEO Jacob Reider, MD.

In a June 8 blog post, Dr. Reider identified four companies "rumored to be in the mix to acquire athenahealth" but won't:

1. Apple. Simply put: The iPhone-maker doesn't do "verticals," Dr. Reider argues.

2. Cerner. The North Kansas City, Mo.-based EHR vendor has too much work with the Defense Department and Veterans Department to consider buying athenahealth.

3. Microsoft. There is too much disconnect between product-driven companies like Microsoft and those that must understand the business problems of healthcare like an EHR vendor.

4. Salesforce. Although Salesforce buys into the idea of a platform versus a product — the same idea athenahealth has been focusing on  — the digital solutions company has struggled to break into healthcare.

Dr. Reider also identified five companies that could acquire athenahealth, including:

1. Philips.

2. Roper/Strata Decision.

3. Amazon.

4. Value Act.

5. IBM.

Click here to read Dr. Reider's complete blog post.

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