Siemens Healthineers Acquires Conworx, Accelerates Point-of-Care Connectivity
Siemens Healthineers has acquired Conworx Technology, a company specializing in point-of-care device interfaces and big data management, for an undisclosed sum. By integrating Conworx’s complementary product suite into Siemens’ RAPIDComm Data Management System, Siemens plans to expand open connectivity to over 100 point-of-care devices currently marketed by major manufacturers and streamline data integration.
Recent trends towards consolidation and industrialization have increased the demand for a more sophisticated system of informatics, said the companies in a press release. Siemens Healthineers and Conworx — which soon will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Siemens — plan to jointly develop a single informatics solution that they claim will streamline data management operations and access to data, as well as improve precision care and risk management across a diverse population of devices and manufacturers.
Conworx, founded in Berlin in 1999, has developed several solutions for point-of-care testing and interfaces — including POCcelerator and UniPOC —for multiple device manufacturers, and has built its business on “vendor-neutral” connectivity. Peter Koerte, president of point-of-care diagnostics at Siemens, noted that the combined companies will continue to work closely with every vendor of connected analyzers.
“As hospitals consolidate and acquire physician offices, there is a huge need by emerging healthcare networks for seamless integration of hundreds of decentralized devices that are spread across dozens of sites,” said Koerte. “It is clear to us that to satisfy our customer needs, we must deliver solutions that ensure superb connectivity, no matter which analyzer is being connected, to ensure that all connected analyzers are working to the best of their ability.”
Roman Rosencranz, current CEO of Conworx, will take over leadership of the newly formed point-of-care informatics division at Siemens.
“By joining with Siemens Healthineers, we will get access to a global organization to even better support our joint customer base,” said Rosenkranz. “Together, we will be able to develop leading informatics products that help our customers to manage their growing point-of-care networks now and in the future.”
Siemens Healthcare division rebranded as Healthineers in May, and since then has steadily grown and added new offerings, such as digital services, consulting, and therapeutic and molecular diagnostics. Siemens CEO Joe Kaeser remarked that M&A strategies will use investment capitals to build on these areas of growth.
IBM Watson and Siemens Healthineers recently signed a global alliance in population health management, a response to drives within insurance industry towards fee-for-service models and emphasis on outcomes. The two companies plan to co-develop integrated services and tools with AI features built in.
Last month, FDA approved the Xprecia Stride Coagulation Analyzer, a point-of-care device to administer PT/INR tests, a blood test that monitors the performance of anti-coagulation medication. Sampson noted that, with the addition of Xprecia, Siemens Healthineers’ portfolio now covers “the full range” of hemostasis testing.