GE, Intel join hands for tele-health services

Technology giants Intel Corporation and General Electric today announced an alliance to market and develop home-based health technologies for patients chronic conditions.

GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt and Intel President and CEO Paul Otellini announced the alliance today, along with an investment of more than $250 million over the next five years for the research and product development of home-based health technologies.

The market for tele-health and home health monitoring is predicted to grow to $7.7 billion by 2012 from $3 billion at present.

GE Healthcare will sell and market the Intel Health Guide, a care management tool designed for health care professionals who manage patients with chronic conditions.

With the dramatic increase of people with chronic conditions and an aging population there is a need to extend care from the hospital to the home.

GE Healthcare and Intel will work together to accelerate the innovation and commercialisation of next-generation home health technologies. Both companies also plan to expand their current development programmes in home health and independent living technologies to include new areas such as fall prevention, medication compliance, sleep apnea, cardiovascular disease and personal wellness monitoring.