McKesson Corporation continues to be known as McKesson. The company operates globally as a leading healthcare services and information technology provider.
Understanding McKesson's Name and Strategic Partnerships
While McKesson's corporate name remains unchanged, there was a significant development involving a part of its business. In 2017, McKesson's Enterprise Information Solutions (EIS) business, which included its RelayHealth and other IT assets, combined with Change Healthcare to form a new, independent company. This newly formed entity was named Change Healthcare.
The strategic decision was made to bring together McKesson's extensive technology solutions with Change Healthcare's broad healthcare IT portfolio. The aim was to create a new, agile leader focused on accelerating the transformation of healthcare through technology. This new company, initially majority-owned by McKesson, concentrated on delivering solutions for various aspects of healthcare, including:
- Revenue Cycle Management: Optimizing financial performance for healthcare providers.
- Payment Accuracy: Ensuring correct and efficient processing of claims and reimbursements.
- Patient Engagement: Developing tools and platforms to improve patient interaction and care outcomes.
- Pharmacy Solutions: Providing technologies and services that support efficient pharmacy operations.
Key Entities and Their Relationships
To clarify the relationships between these entities, consider the following breakdown:
| Entity Name | Current Status | Original Role (in relation to the 2017 formation of the new Change Healthcare) |
|---|---|---|
| McKesson Corporation | A global diversified healthcare services company that retains its original name. | Contributed its Enterprise Information Solutions (EIS) business (including RelayHealth and other IT assets) to form the new independent Change Healthcare company. |
| Change Healthcare | Initially a new, independent company formed from the strategic combination of McKesson's EIS and Change Healthcare's existing business. It was later acquired by Optum in 2022. | The independent company formed from the combination of McKesson's technology solutions business and the legacy Change Healthcare business, aiming to create a comprehensive healthcare technology leader. |
| Optum | A diversified health services company and a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, providing information and technology-enabled health services. | Acquired Change Healthcare in 2022, integrating its vast array of healthcare technology and data analytics solutions into Optum's broader portfolio to enhance its offerings across the healthcare ecosystem. |
In summary, while McKesson Corporation itself did not change its name, a significant portion of its technology and solutions business combined with another entity to form a new company that was named Change Healthcare. That new company has since been acquired by Optum.
