Federal Contractors Set Sights On Health Care Business

National Defense Magazine
2/1/2008

Byline Article from Chad Crank, Senior Vice President

Information technology spending on defense, intelligence and homeland security continues its upward trajectory, but contractors are setting their sights on potentially even more lucrative opportunities in health care information technology. From fiscal 2005 to fiscal 2007, homeland security IT spending rose from $1.9 to $2.7 billion (Source: Federal Sources Inc.) Intelligence IT spending is expected to increase at a compound growth rate of 8.4% over the next five years (Source: INPUT, Press Release of June 20, 2007).

Government contractors, meanwhile, are adjusting their business models in anticipation of rising government IT spending on healthcare during the next five to 10 years. Healthcare IT-related spending by the government is expected to increase from $5.3 billion in 2007 to $8.7 billion in 2012 for a compound annual growth rate of 10.7% (Source: INPUT). To capitalize on this growth potential, federal contractors have engaged in a number of industry acquisitions. Corporate mergers & acquisitions will likely occur among middle-market players looking for “tuck-in” acquisitions to complement current IT structures, while building a presence in healthcare IT.

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