Microsoft, GE form new company to create health care software

The joint venture seeks to help health organizations integrate data.

National Journal: Microsoft, GE Join Forces To Create Health Care Software
Microsoft Corp. and General Electric Co. are joining forces to create a health care technology platform, the companies announced on Wednesday. The joint venture aims to help health care organizations integrate data, coordinate care and - hopefully - improve patient outcomes, Microsoft said in a statement. Better electronic health records are a priority of the Obama administration, and health care reform legislation includes provisions aimed at improving electronic medical record-keeping. The aim to is help get all of a patient's physicians in sync, helping doctors manage complex cases and pinpoint developing health issues before they escalate (Quinton, 12/8).

The New York Times: G.E.-Microsoft Venture To Create 'Windows' For Health Care
The G.E.-Microsoft venture hopes to lay the foundation for a surge in software applications that tackle rising costs and quality lapses in health care. "It is the developer community that is going to solve these problems," said Michael J. Simpson, the G.E. executive who will be chief executive of the joint venture, which will be a new company (Lohr, 12/8).