The two companies have reportedly scheduled a press conference in New York on Thursday, during which they will announce an alliance related to health care technology. The conference will be hosted both by Intel CEO Paul Otellini and GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt.

 

Intel is currently offering an “Intel Health Guide” device that allows patients to stay in touch with their physicians and receive the necessary information for dealing with their conditions. The device uses a small touch-screen PC running Windows XP and a web portal that helps connect patients and doctors. It can also be connected to a number of the most commonly used medical devices which monitor a patient’s vitals signs such as blood-pressure monitors, glucose meters, pulse oximeters, peak flow meters and weight scales. All this information can be relayed via the internet to caregivers, who can monitor the patient’s state of health and provide education and management information as needed.

 

Intel has taken part in programs run by Aetna, Scan Health Plan, Erickson Retirement Communities and the Providence Medical Group in Oregon. The company has also become associated with the Mayo Clinic and the American Heart Association, two major non-profit organizations in the U.S., in order to provide the application's clinical assessments, evidence-based treatment guidelines, as well as educational multimedia content.

 

On the other hand, GE is also known as a major supplier of diagnostic systems: medical imaging devices as well as systems for managing patient records electronically.