Medical image management solutions provider Intelerad Medical Systems has acquired Ambra Health, a maker of a cloud-based medical image management suite. The combined platform will provide physicians, patients, and researchers with a cloud solution for reading, storing, and sharing diagnostic imaging. Along with Intelerad’s PACS, Ambra brings a cloud vendor neutral archive, image exchange functionality, and research and pathology capabilities to the Intelerad portfolio.

The global hospital imaging IT market is estimated at $4.5 billion, according to the recent Signify Research Imaging IT World Report 2021. Imaging needs will continue to facilitate growth in this market as hospitals and health systems increasingly turn to the cloud for image accessibility. This new partnership between Intelerad and Ambra expands the combined company’s ability to enable distributed radiology reading, collaborative care solutions, and advanced life science research in multiple markets to improve the health of populations.

“The goal of healthcare is for human beings to live longer, healthier lives. Medical imaging and advanced technology is critical to this goal, and this acquisition positions Intelerad to enhance imaging accessibility and empower healthcare providers with the tools they need to deliver better patient outcomes,” says Mike Lipps, Intelerad’s CEO. “For healthcare providers, moving to the cloud is not a matter of if, but when.”

Lipps adds, “Partnering with Ambra is a significant milestone on our path to provide the most scalable and robust medical image management platform in the industry. And while many medical imaging vendors offer pieces of what providers need, Intelerad now offers the entire solution.”

Ambra CEO Morris Panner also spoke out about the acquisition, commenting: “Ambra has been focused on ensuring large hospital systems, medical groups, imaging centers, clinical research organizations, and health information exchanges can rely on us to significantly improve processes and workflows in the circle of care. This commitment is strengthened by joining Intelerad, and we look forward together to further enhance our products and services.”

Under the acquisition, Panner will become president of Intelerad, reporting directly to Lipps.