PureSafety Acquires Occupational Health Research/SYSTOC®

Those of you who have been around this industry for awhile are aware that only a handful of companies produce occupational health-specific software products - and that number has dwindled over the years.

 

The number shrank again today with the acquisition of Maine-based Occupational Health Research (best known for its SYSTOC® software platform) by PureSafety, a leading provider of workforce safety and health software, information management and training solutions. Both companies are members of the NAOHP's Vendor Program.

 

Founded by Dr. Bill Newkirk, OHR/SYSTOC reports it supports employee and occupational health information systems in more than 800 hospitals, clinics and worksite-based programs nationwide. The company is widely recognized for its customer support and comprehensive capabilities.

A Little History
In 1977, a charitable health care trust serving rural Maine sought ways to control workers' compensation costs and improve injured worker treatment and care management. They called on Dr. Newkirk for assistance, recognizing the value of his medical training and work using mathematical models to predict patient outcomes. Dr. Newkirk subsequently developed SYSTOC, which became the first commercially successful occupational health software for personal computers. 

SYSTOC entered clinical trials at a Maine hospital in 1982, and by the end of 1985 was installed at 10 hospitals. OHR was incorporated to support technical development and provide a core organization for network members. The network has been expanding ever since.

In 2002, OHR shook things up a bit when it acquired The Stolas Group, producer of StolaSystem occupational health software. Under the direction of Dr. Steven Schumann, StolaSystem was originally designed to support his independently owned occupational medicine practice in California.

 

Meanwhile, in 1997, Thompson Machinery Commerce Corporation, a Tennessee-based heavy equipment dealer, suffered its first and only work-related fatality. In response, senior management helped develop a safety training safety solution, which transitioned into PureSafety in April 1999.

In 2006, PureSafety acquired PerDatum to expand its safety and case management tools. Two years later it acquired Unique Software Solutions, Inc. and its Occupational Health Manager^® (OHM) software suite. Launched in 1986, OHM was one of the first modular software packages to integrate detailed tracking and reporting tools for occupational health, medical and safety management, with a focus on workplace applications.

 

Fast forward to 2011

Given the history, the acquisition is really a marriage of multiple existing and former businesses that promises to offer a powerful approach to occupational health and safety work-flow management.

 

"The combination of the two businesses creates the clear market leader in the occupational and employee health market," company officials said in a joint press release issued today.

 

In the press release, Bill Grana, president and chief executive officer of PureSafety, noted:

 

“From its development nearly 30 years ago, OHR pioneered best-in-class tools for the employee health market and has always been a market leader and respected competitor. PureSafety is driven by a similar vision to offer the industry’s most complete suite of solutions to manage all facets of occupational safety and health. Adding SYSTOC to our existing software suite creates a total solution that is unmatched in the industry. 

 

"We are extremely excited to welcome OHR and its employees to PureSafety and look forward to providing their clients with the technology and services they trust, but with the added benefit of a larger, more broad-reaching enterprise to support their success.”

 

Dr. Newkirk, a true visionary who will serve as PureSafety's medical director, said:

 

“Building this company has been a labor of love for me. To see it reach this level of success and join forces with PureSafety is thrilling. I think that this acquisition will be a transformative event in the field of occupational medicine and employee health.”

 

Stay tuned.