One of the bigger names in electronic medical records and practice management software is targeting small, independent physician practices with a new acquisition.

GE Healthcare announced Wednesday morning the acquisition of MedPlexus, Inc., a Sunnyvale, Calif.-based developer of EMR/PM solutions for independent clinical practices. Officials at GE Healthcare, the Barrington, Ill.-based, $17 billion subsidiary of General Electric, plan to add MedPlexus’ ambulatory EMR and hosted practice management and revenue cycle management software to the company’s Centricity line.

“We evaluated this business opportunity extensively and decided its fit based on the value it brings the market,” said Vishal Wanchoo, president and CEO of GE Healthcare IT, a $1.9 billion unit of GE Healthcare, in a press release. “This solid, scalable solution allows us to offer the same affordable, integrated practice management and EMR product that we offer today through licensing as a hosted ‘Software as a Service’ (SaaS) solution.  We believe our customers will appreciate the added flexibility this option affords them."

Founded in 2000 and numbering about 100 employees, MedPlexus currently serves physicians in the U.S., but with its primary development facility in Hyderabad, India, the company plans on going global. The company offers EMR/PM and electronic health record solutions, as well as e-prescribing tools and a patient self-service portal. It also offers associated billing, accounting and audit and front-office call management services.

The deal is expected to strengthen GE Healthcare’s push into the independent physician office market, which has traditionally been a slow adopter of healthcare IT tools and services and stands to benefit the most from stimulus funding included in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

“Our focus continues to be on providing IT solutions that deliver outstanding clinical and financial performance to our customers” said Jim Corrigan, vice president and general manager of GE Healthcare IT.  “MedPlexus’ technology accelerates efforts well underway to deliver our industry-leading clinical expertise within a contemporary architecture that the independent physician office market has been demanding.”

“All of us at MedPlexus are excited to become part of GE Healthcare given the company’s wide range of offerings and the strength of its brand both in the U.S. and abroad,” added Chittaranjan Mallipeddi, CEO of MedPlexus. “MedPlexus’ SaaS delivery model complements GE’s existing solution and strategy. The SaaS solution will leverage GE Centricity’s high level of innovation and market leadership with a hosted delivery model to produce an outstanding offering for small physician practices.”