In its first major deal of the quarter, Cerner announced that it has signed a 10-year contract with the US Army to provide medical records software to 100 army hospitals and 400 clinics around the world. The Kansas City-based company said the deal is the largest laboratory technology deal it has yet signed. The Army said the deal could be worth $51 million over the next decade. Cerner stock hit a 52-week high of $79.73 on Thursday, although it's slightly lower now.
- see this story from the Associated Press
PLUS: In other health IT news, WebMD announced this morning that it is changing its name to Emdeon. Observers say the move leaves the company in a better position to spin off its consumer and physician sites. Release (pdf)