CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:
Net income	$ 20,717,000	$ 12,615,000
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Depreciation and amortization	39,388,000	31,594,000
Gain on bargain purchase	(10,796,000)	0
Losses on sales and/or abandonment of property and equipment	219,000	102,000
Write-off of patents and intangible assets	86,000	90,000
Acquired in-process research and development	12,136,000	400,000
Fair value changes in contingent liabilities/assets	0	99,000
Amortization of deferred credits	(111,000)	(128,000)
Amortization of long-term debt issuance costs	514,000	779,000
Deferred income taxes	(290,000)	187,000
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation	0	(527,000)
Stock-based compensation expense	2,883,000	1,913,000
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects from acquisitions:
Trade receivables	(10,963,000)	(5,166,000)
Employee receivables	54,000	42,000
Other receivables	(503,000)	3,385,000
Inventories	(9,922,000)	220,000
Prepaid expenses and other assets	(1,587,000)	(452,000)
Prepaid income taxes	(231,000)	(63,000)
Income tax refund receivables	280,000	514,000
Other assets	(2,992,000)	(1,591,000)
Trade payables	(876,000)	(9,018,000)
Accrued expenses	4,514,000	1,693,000
Advances from employees	(44,000)	(50,000)
Income taxes payable	(764,000)	(183,000)
Liabilities related to unrecognized tax benefits	0	(366,000)
Deferred compensation payable	1,107,000	500,000
Other long-term obligations	574,000	(251,000)
Total adjustments	22,676,000	23,723,000
Net cash provided by operating activities	43,393,000	36,338,000
Capital expenditures for:
Property and equipment	(29,522,000)	(26,492,000)
Intangible assets	(1,927,000)	(1,594,000)
Proceeds from sale of cost method investment	0	1,089,000
Proceeds from the sale of property and equipment	9,000	5,000
Cash paid in acquisitions, net of cash acquired	(103,500,000)	(119,808,000)
Net cash used in investing activities	(134,940,000)	(146,800,000)
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	143,069,000	4,422,000
Payment of offering costs related to issuance of common stock	(816,000)	0
Proceeds from issuance of long-term debt	151,462,000	203,478,000
Payments on long-term debt	(197,962,000)	(82,658,000)
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation	0	527,000
Long-term debt issuance costs	0	(1,948,000)
Contingent payments related to acquisitions	(45,000)	(199,000)
Payment of taxes related to an exchange of common stock	0	(86,000)
Net cash provided by financing activities	95,708,000	123,536,000
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATES ON CASH	30,000	67,000
NET INCREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	4,191,000	13,141,000
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS:
Beginning of period	19,171,000	4,177,000
End of period	23,362,000	17,318,000
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOW INFORMATION
Interest (net of capitalized interest of $371 and $337, respectively)	5,953,000	6,223,000
Income taxes	4,029,000	2,237,000
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES
Property and equipment purchases in accounts payable	1,394,000	2,709,000
Acquisition purchases in accrued expenses and other long-term obligations	12,000,000	293,000
Contingent receivable in exchange for sale of cost method investment	0	711,000
Merit common stock surrendered (0 and 14 shares, respectively) in exchange for exercise of stock options	$ 0	$ 346,000