HealthMark Buys Purview in Cloud Push
HealthMark Group has acquired Purview, a move to expand digital access to medical imaging through cloud-based sharing. The deal signals an intensifying race among providers to offer seamless, interoperable platforms that connect hospital and outpatient workflows. Cloud-enabled image access is rapidly becoming table stakes for imaging buyers.
The acquisition of Purview strategically repositions HealthMark from a digital health information management company to a comprehensive clinical data exchange provider. By integrating Purview's cloud-native imaging platform, used by five of the top ten U.S. children's hospitals, HealthMark can now embed complex DICOM files directly with traditional medical records, tackling the persistent issue of images being shared via CDs. This move taps directly into the outpatient imaging boom, a sector experiencing double-digit growth forecasts for advanced modalities like PET, ultrasound, and CT over the next decade. This growth is largely driven by payor reimbursement strategies pushing non-emergency imaging to lower-cost outpatient settings, a trend that intensifies the need for the cloud-based interoperability offered by the combined HealthMark-Purview entity. For mobile imaging providers, this consolidation signals a more competitive landscape where integrated data access is paramount. The global mobile imaging market is already highly competitive, with leaders like Alliance HealthCare Services, Mednax, and Shared Medical Services focusing on advanced technology and strong customer relationships to maintain their edge. The ability to seamlessly share imaging data with a patient's broader clinical record will become a key differentiator. The deal also addresses critical operational challenges for radiology departments, namely staffing shortages and workflow efficiency. Demand for imaging is expected to outpace the supply of radiologists for years to come, making technologies that streamline workflows essential. AI-driven tools that automate routine tasks, triage urgent cases, and improve diagnostic accuracy are becoming indispensable for handling rising case volumes. Recent FDA clearances for AI in radiology highlight this trend, with a significant increase in approved AI/ML devices since 2016, the majority utilizing the 510(k) pathway. Companies like Qure.ai and RapidAI have recently received clearances for tools that detect a wide range of findings on X-rays and CTs, demonstrating the rapid advancement and adoption of this technology. From a reimbursement perspective, the landscape is mixed. While the 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule includes an overall reduction in the conversion factor, specific procedures like CCTA are seeing doubled payment rates. Furthermore, the 2026 Hospital Outpatient Prospective Payment System (HOPPS) final rule shows a 2.6% increase in the conversion factor and higher payments for services like 3D printing and contrast-enhanced ultrasound, indicating a continued shift in payment policy that imaging providers must navigate.
