Later today, Intel CEO Paul Otellini and General Electric
CEO and Chairman Jeff Immelt will announce an alliance to push forward innovative
healthcare technologies, including possible applications for health-care IT and
home health monitoring.
The collaboration forms from Intel’s need for a
well-established reliable player that can help it gain a broader foothold in
the healthcare industry. Logically, GE would fit this match for being a major
provider of imaging and diagnostic equipment used by many hospitals as well as
other medical-information systems.
On another note, it has been suggested that the alliance
results from the Obama administration’s efforts to improve both healthcare
efficiency and overall expenses. As of recent, one of the biggest focuses the
administration has pushed for is “telemedicine,” or the idea of health
professionals remotely diagnosing and treating medical conditions. According to
Marc Holland, research director at Health Industry Insights, this focus puts
Intel in “a very good position.” Holland also suggested that GE might provide
monitoring services for patients, a bit like the way security services monitor
burglar alarms.
Intel has been devoting more R&D dollars to health care
as evidenced by pilot programs such as the new
Intel Health Guide medical device announced last year. The device is
designed to allow the monitoring of patients in their homes and to remotely
manage their care in order to give them more independence and relaxation.
Currently, the company has developed a tablet-PC for use in hospitals by nurses and
other staff. It has also taken part in programs run by Aetna, Scan
Health Plan, Erickson Retirement Communities, and the Providence Medical Group
in Oregon.
Moreover, Intel and General Electric are expected to make
sizable investments targeting in-home health care. Intel is also currently
partnering with the Mayo Clinic and the American Heart Association, while GE is
active in the health care field as a major supplier of diagnostic systems.