Cerner Corp. said Friday it would acquire IMC Health Care, Inc., a provider of employer sponsored on-site health centers. The acquisition will expand Cerner's employer health initiatives, pharmacies and wellness programs.

The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The acquisition is expected to close in the first quarter of 2010 and will not have a material impact on Cerner's 2010 financial results. Don Stubbs, IMC Health Care senior vice president of business development and Tom Neville, IMC Health Care senior vice president of operations will join Cerner and help lead Cerner's employer health initiatives.

Building upon IMC Health Care's history in providing on-site employer health centers and occupational health expertise, this acquisition will strengthen Cerner's position as a provider of comprehensive employer health services, Cerner executives said.

There are approximately 7,600 corporations in across the country that could potentially benefit from on-site employer health services, they said.

"Cerner continues to be committed to working closely with employers to bend the healthcare cost curve, improve health outcomes and achieve a high level of employee satisfaction,"said Zane Burke, Cerner senior vice president. "IMC Health Care has a tremendous record of delivering on-site healthcare services to its employer clients and we believe our strengths can be combined to uniquely fulfill these needs in the employer market."

In an effort to better control healthcare costs, Cerner has been a self-insured corporation for more than 20 years and has a wholly-owned subsidiary that has served as its third-party administrator since 2006. In 2006, the company expanded its employer offerings and opened a primary care clinic at its headquarters in Kansas City, Mo.
 
Among services offered to Cerner employees and dependents are primary care services, pharmacy, chronic condition management and wellness programs, an electronic health record and secure messaging capabilities with providers.

IMC Health Care currently serves 15 employer clients and operates 23 employee health centers across the country. Among the  employer clients are: Albany International, ATI Allvac, American Axle & Manufacturing, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, Campbell Soup Company, StockPot, Cryovac, Jayco, Kia Motors Manufacturing Georgia (KMMG), Publix Super Markets, Sea Ray Boats and Toyota Industrial Equipment Manufacturing.

With this diverse employer client base, including a large occupational health footprint, Cerner will now have the opportunity to expand its offerings to other employers and increase the capabilities for existing IMC Health Care clients, Cerner officials said.

"IMC is excited to be able to offer our existing clients the 30 years of expertise in healthcare innovations that Cerner brings to the table," said Todd Keller, IMC Health Care founder and CEO. "Cerner's commitment to helping employers drive down the cost of healthcare is vital to the growth and sustainability of our economy."