So, I'm not the doctoring sort, but I know a fair amount about M&A (mergers and acquisitions), as I've been on both sides of them many times.
On the buyee side, they take the money and the buyer because of what that means to them and the future of the company.
On the buyer side, they render up millions (typically) and for that they expect an X times return on that money over 1-2 business cycles (perhaps a bit longer), or a higher multiple over a longer window.
There is nothing wrong with either side's motivation, but for the activity to be successful, it is important that each side perform.
For AC, this will probably mean becoming more focused on a much-smaller to-do list, and making the most of the cash infusion they get. There will be a much higher expectation that they perform to schedule, and hopefully execute well.
For PRI-MED, they will need to learn from AC how they do the things they do well, and figure out where they need help. They then need to get, give, or supply help and resources in key places.
One of the key places that the AC community can help is in providing the client viewpoint on what is working well, and what needs work. PRI-MED, if they are smart, are going to want to cross-check what AC priorities are, what client priorities are, and what prospect priorities might be to figure out where the efforts should be focused.
As Wendell, James, and several others have observed, AC is spread thin, doing too many things to do them well and in a timely fashion. There is a finite limit to how many people you can put on a project, but one thing you can do is narrow your focus until you get up to speed and begin to demonstrate a repeatable pattern of quality on-time deliveries.
The other thing that the community can do is be clear about what PRI-MED could do that would kill the Golden Goose - Doctors stop recommending AC.
This sounds like a far more favorable M&A activity than some I have seen, but it is inevitable that some things will change. This is a smart, articulate community that can make a significant contribution to the changes to come.
Hopefully this will prove to be holistically beneficial to the new company and the community.
