Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq “MSFT”) and General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE) said they plan to create a global joint venture offering interoperability platforms and application solutions targeting healthcare providers and patients.
The new company, which has yet to be named, will be headquartered near the Microsoft campus in Redmond, Wash., with a significant presence in Salt Lake City and additional cities around the world. Michael Simpson, VP and GM at GE Healthcare IT, will serve as the company’s CEO. The launch is subject to customary conditions, including regulatory approvals, and is expected in the first half of 2012.
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The companies said the JV is aimed at helping healthcare organizations and professionals use real-time, system wide intelligence to improve healthcare quality and the patient experience. The JV will combine Microsoft’s experience in building platforms and ecosystems with GE Healthcare’s experience in clinical and administrative workflow solutions.
“High-quality, affordable healthcare is one of the biggest challenges facing every nation, but it’s also an area where technology can make a huge difference,” said Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft, in a statement.
According to the companies, in addition to the new collaboration, GE Healthcare and Microsoft will each maintain a strong presence in the healthcare IT industry as both parent organizations will continue to sell other products and services to healthcare organizations around the globe. They noted that the JV will complement the existing offerings from both parent companies and is expected to yield job growth in its first five years of existence.
