Opus Communications on a roll with major acquisition and timely launch.

Opus Communications Inc., a division of Marblehead, Mass. based HCPro Corp., this month acquired all the publishing assets of Harling Communications Inc. of Chicago, Illinois. The acquisition makes HCPro the nation's largest provider of information on regulation to the long-term care industry, according to associate publisher John Novack.

In conjunction with the acquisition, HCPro also launched the newsletter Strategies for Nurse Managers, which will target the nurse management segment of the long-term care industry.

"HCPro views the acquisition of Harling Communications as a strategic move which catapults HCPro into the nation's number one position in long-term care publishing" said Suzanne Perney, vice president and publisher. "The acquisition also enables HCPro to branch out to the important nursing management market."

The Harling assets purchased by Opus consist of six monthly newsletters and a collection of books and special reports covering a wide range of long-term care, regulatory and management issues. More than 3,000 Harling subscribers will now receive Opus publications.

Opus also provides long-term health care professionals with "a wealth of information" at the web site www.sninfo.com, and they will find "searchable, online health care resources" at www.hcpro.com/onlinepubs.

Established in 1986, HCPro is the parent company of Opus Communications and The Greeley Company.

Opus is a leading publisher of newsletters and books on health care compliance and regulatory issues. The Greeley Company is a health care consulting and educational services firm.

HCPro also provides "content-rich vertical niche web sites along with related free e-mail newsletters (e-zines) to create specialized communities for health care professionals," John Novack said.