GE Healthcare Partners with Grameen Health to Identify Sustainable Healthcare Delivery Models

Oct 02, 2008 (NORDIC BUSINESS REPORT via COMTEX) -- GE | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- GE Healthcare, a unit of General Electric Company, and Grameen Health, an affiliate of Grameen Bank, a micro-financing organization in Bangladesh that shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for its work to alleviate poverty, announced they will work together to identify sustainable models for healthcare delivery in the developing world.

The partners will jointly evaluate ways to improve Grameen Health's existing healthcare delivery systems and primary care clinics in rural Bangladesh. In the next year, they will identify appropriate business models that ultimately can be replicated in other countries, addressing the needs of the 4 billion people around the world whose annual income is less than $3,000. As part of its commitment to the collaboration, GE Healthcare will test delivery of ultrasound capability in rural clinics for early detection of abnormalities, especially in the context of maternal care.

"GE Healthcare is committed to early health initiatives," said Omar Ishrak, President & Chief Executive Officer, Clinical Systems, GE Healthcare. "We have affordable technology with advanced imaging and care capabilities that can make a difference to save lives. With the ubiquitous usage of ultrasound, GE believes it's provided a crucial tool in the early care of expectant mothers. We intend to work with Grameen Health to further understand and expand ultrasound usage in rural areas. Through this pilot program we plan to train providers in the usage of ultrasound, evaluate the product, the training and the workflow that would be needed to enable the full deployment of this technology. This is one positive step towards accessible and sustainable healthcare for the developing world."

GE noted that it has taken steps to enhance accessibility of ultrasound through training and education, starting with a pilot program with U.S.-based medical school students. Medical students participating in the pilot study also helped GE Healthcare to determine how medical students learn, to gather data from the 'new ultrasound user' in order to improve the design of the ultrasound equipment, and to determine whether the use of the ultrasound device during medical training will have beneficial effects on medical training itself. The ultrasound curriculum adds a hands-on component with immediate results that show students the practical applications of technology in medicine.

"Technologies such as ultrasound can be used to help detect diseases earlier, when they can be more effectively treated," said Dr. Bob Honigberg, Chief Medical Officer of GE Healthcare. "These pilot studies may provide support for more primary care physicians to utilize miniaturized ultrasound technology to supplement tools that are used today."

During the next year, the companies said the partnership will focus on the following areas:

- Primary health promotion and disease prevention, the most cost effective steps in affordable health care - Evaluate product, training, workflow, and other capabilities that would be needed for full deployment of ultrasound capability in rural areas - Developing continuous training programs for nurses, technicians and physicians in the usage of ultrasound - Reviewing operating efficiencies and scope of services (e.g., telemedicine, mobile health care) at Grameen Health's Kalyan clinics.

According to the World Health Organization, among the biggest obstacles to improved health outcomes are inadequate health delivery and financing mechanisms that place the heaviest burden on the poor and sick, who are the least able to pay.

In addition to its partnership with GE Healthcare, Grameen is partnering with Pfizer Inc., which will dedicate key employees to provide technical and advisory support to evaluate Grameen's existing healthcare delivery systems in Bangladesh. Grameen is also partnering with the Mayo Clinic, to improve the training, efficiency, and retention of staff at existing Grameen Health Kalyan clinics.

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