Merger Mania: Impact on the Medical Information Department

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to create an efficient, stepwise approach to integrating two medical information departments of merging pharmaceutical companies. This project may serve as a template for medical information departments in future mergers. The approach to this project will be a combination of past experiences, forward thinking, and observation during the merger currently in progress between Hoechst Marion Roussel and Rhône-Poulenc Rorer to become Aventis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The current state of each medical information department was assessed, including workload statistics, function and responsibility, organizational structure, handling of calls, resources, and budget. Best practices for the integrated medical information department were established. A timeline and product information data sheet were created for merging the medical information departments to meet the best practice needs. This project serves as the first published literature on the impact of a merger on the medical information department.