McKesson

Type: Public (NYSE: MCK)
Founded: 1833, New York City
Headquarters: San Francisco, California
Key people: John Hammergren, Chairman & CEO, Jeffrey Campbell, CFO
Industry: Health care
Products: Pharmaceuticals, Personal & Household Products, Healthcare Technology, Healthcare Services
Website: www.mckesson.com

General Information

McKesson Corporation (NYSE: MCK) is a large United States-based corporation specializing in the distribution of health care systems, medical supplies and pharmaceutical products. It is a Fortune Global 500 company, the 16th largest company in the United States and the single largest health care company in the world.

Founded in New York City as Olcott & McKesson by Charles Olcott and John McKesson in 1833, the business began as an importer and wholesaler of botanical drugs. A third partner, Daniel Robbins joined the enterprise as it grew, and it was renamed McKesson & Robbins following Olcott's death in 1853.

From the middle of the 20th century, McKesson has derived a continually growing proportion of its income from medical technology rather than pharmaceuticals. This culminated in its purchase of medical information systems firm HBO & Company (HBOC) in 1999; the combined firm was briefly known as McKessonHBOC. Accounting irregularities at HBOC halved the share price and resulted in the dismissal and prosecution of many former HBOC executives, and the firm reassumed its original name in 2001.

In addition to its offices throughout North America, McKesson also has international offices in Australia and Europe (Ireland, France, Netherlands and the United Kingdom). It employs 32,000 people globally. Today, McKesson is one of the oldest continually operating businesses in the United States.

McKesson in the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, McKesson (operating as McKesson Information Solutions UK Ltd) is a provider of information technology services to the health care industry. In addition to numerous clinical software systems and finance and procurement services, McKesson also is responsible for developing the Electronic Staff Record system for Britain's National Health Service which, upon completion in 2007, will provide an integrated payroll system for NHS's 1.3 million staff, making it the world’s largest single payroll IT system.

McKesson's United Kingdom base is in Warwick with data centers in Newcastle upon Tyne and Romford and offices in Sheffield and Vauxhall, South London. Across the United Kingdom, it employs over 5000 people.

McKesson in Austrailia and New Zealand

In Australia and New Zealand, McKesson (operating as McKesson Asia-Pacific) is a provider of telephone-based healthcare services to the health care industry. McKesson's services include: telephone triage (see also telehealth and telenursing) health information, advice and referral, mental health triage and case management and chronic disease management.

Using specialised health call centre software, McKesson clinical staff take close to one million calls per year from the community

McKesson's Asia-Pacific's head office is in Sydney with other offices in Melbourne, Perth,Wellington and Auckland. Across the Asia-Pacific region, it employs over 500 people.