ARMONK, N.Y. and DUBLIN, April 13,
2015 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) and Medtronic (NYSE:
MDT) today announced that they will work together to combine
powerful analytics and cognitive computing with diabetes medical
devices and health data to develop a new generation of personalized
diabetes management solutions. People using Medtronic diabetes
solutions could benefit from new solutions developed in
collaboration with IBM's newly-formed Watson Health unit.
With diabetes device data continuously gathered and analyzed in
real-time, information can be anonymously combined with numerous
other sources of data such as electronic medical records, health
insurance claims and population health data to uncover patterns and
predict health risks using advanced analytics models. IBM and
Medtronic are exploring ways to develop diabetes care management
solutions that will optimize patient outcomes and health economics,
leveraging Medtronic's devices and care management offerings,
including therapies and coaching, and IBM's Watson Health Cloud
platform.
In addition, the two companies also expect to develop near
real-time, dynamic personalized care plans that provide decision
support for health care providers and their patients with the goal
of improving care efficiency and outcomes. IBM and Medtronic will
also jointly explore ways to leverage IBM's Watson platform to improve Medtronic and
partners' closed loop algorithms, which intend to mimic the
function of a healthy pancreas.
"Devices alone cannot transform diabetes care. The combination
of leadership technologies, big data, informatics and world-class
patient management are all required to drive effective results in
diabetes care," said Hooman Hakami,
executive vice president and president of the Diabetes Group at
Medtronic. "Medtronic and IBM intend to bring these capabilities
together to pioneer a new level of care that will improve outcomes
and lower cost so people living with diabetes can enjoy greater
freedom and better health."
"We are building a secure, open innovation platform that could
change the face of diabetes management," said John E. Kelly III, IBM senior vice president,
solutions portfolio and research. "Medtronic and IBM can marry the
power of analytics, cognitive computing and patient engagement
with the world's most sophisticated diabetes management devices to
truly change how people with diabetes live."
More than 387 million people worldwide live with diabetes,
according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF).
Managing diabetes is incredibly complex and costly for healthcare
systems. The IDF also estimates that global health spending to
treat diabetes and manage complications totaled at least $612
billion in 2014. Better disease management − including technology
advancements and integrated care solutions − can improve quality of
life for millions of people with diabetes while saving healthcare
dollars.
IBM's Watson Health Cloud is a secure, open platform designed to
provide IBM's clients, partners and academic researchers with
access to the world's most complete view of aggregated clinical,
research and social health data.
About the Diabetes Group at Medtronic
(www.medtronicdiabetes.com)
Medtronic is working together
with the global community to change the way people manage diabetes.
The company aims to transform diabetes care by expanding access,
integrating care and improving outcomes, so people living with
diabetes can enjoy greater freedom and better health.
Medtronic plc (www.medtronic.com), headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, is the global leader in
medical technology – alleviating pain, restoring health, and
extending life for millions of people around the world.
About IBM
IBM and its vast ecosystem of clients,
partners and medical researchers are accelerating the development
of a new generation of data-driven applications and solutions built
on IBM Health Cloud and IBM Watson cognitive solutions to advance
health and wellness. For more information, please visit
ibm.com/watsonhealth. Join the conversation #IBMWatsonHealth.
Any forward-looking statements are subject to risks and
uncertainties such as those described in Medtronic's periodic
reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Actual
results may differ materially from anticipated results.
Contact:
Holli Haswell
IBM
hhaswell@us.ibm.com
720-396-5485
Amanda Sheldon
Medtronic
amanda.sheldon@medtronic.com
818-576-4826
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SOURCE IBM