Emdeon acquires local health technology company

Mash-up of two Davidson County firms puts fate of some employees in question

Email | Print By Milt Capps

In a move combining two Davidson County employers, Emdeon Business Services announced today it has acquired IXT Solutions and its book of 350 hospital customers. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Emdeon spokesman Tommy Lewis told NashvillePost.com this morning that IXT Chairman and CEO Lyle Beasley will join Emdeon's existing patient-billing group, in a senior executive role that has not yet been defined. The future status of 35 other employees, has not yet been determined.

Also unknown is whether IXT staff will continue to work from the company's 12th Avenue South location, or be absorbed into one of Emdeon's four Tennessee offices, including its headquarters at 26 Century Boulevard.

Currently Emdeon boasts roughly 1,100 Tennessee employees, out of a total company workforce of 2,500.

IXT, which prints hospitals' patient billing statements, has developed online-payment technology that Lewis said is deemed "strategically important" to Emdeon.

Emdeon already has large statement-printing capacity according to Lewis. He continued saying that Emdeon will "rationalize" integrated products and services, thereby eliminating duplicative efforts and offerings.

More changes may also be coming for Emdeon. The company's co-owner, Health Corp., which also owns WebMD, is reportedly shopping the sale of its 48 percent stake. A transaction is expected early in 2008.

A call to IXT's CEO Beasley has not yet been returned. He was profiled in 2001 by NashvillePost.com.