GE, Microsoft to form JV for health

General Electric (GE), and Microsoft will be forming a joint venture 'Caradigm,' expected to launch in the first half of the year 2012.

The 50-50 JV upon formation will market an open, interoperable technology platform and clinical applications, focused on enabling better population health management to improve outcomes and the economics of health and wellness.

Both the companies have also announced several executives who will work under Michael Simpson, CEO of the upcoming venture. The executives include: Dr Brandon Savage, CMO and senior VP, product strategy; Neal Singh, CTO and senior VP, engineering; Nigel Mason, COO; Tami Lamp, chief people officer; and Warren Ratliff, general counsel and VP.

The board of directors of the joint venture will include executives from both the company's including: John Dineen, president and CEO, GE Healthcare; Jan de Witte, president and CEO, GE Healthcare IT and performance solutions; Kirill Tatarinov, president, Microsoft Business solutions division; and Amy Hood, corporate VP and CFO, Microsoft business division.

''Around the world, delivery system reforms and payment model changes are requiring healthcare providers to integrate data across silos of care delivery to enable better care coordination and performance improvement. We're founding Caradigm to meet the changing needs of health and healthcare across the globe,'' said Michael Simpson, who will be the CEO of Caradigm.