circGE Healthcare (NYSE:GE) announced recently that it signed a 10-year partnership with UK-based Circle Health Group.
The partnership agreement aims to empower Circle’s clinicians to make faster, more targeted and more informed decisions in diagnosing, treating and monitoring patients through intelligent devices, data analytics and other services.
Circle Health and GE Healthcare look to improve patient outcomes across Circle’s national network of more than 50 hospitals in the UK, with the agreement covering the provision of medical equipment, installation, services, consultancy and financing, according to a news release.
“When we acquired BMI Healthcare last year, we pledged to set new standards for patient care by investing in cutting-edge technology and empowering our highly-skilled clinicians,” Circle Health CEO Paolo Pieri said in the release. “Our partnership with GE Healthcare is a major step towards realizing that ambition.”
In the partnership, GE Healthcare will offer a range of medical equipment over the 10-year period, plus approximately $70 million in financing for the acquisition of the equipment, provided by GE Healthcare Financial Services.
GE will also work with construction contractors on the installation of equipment to ensure they are designed around the needs of Circle’s clinicians, while the agreement includes an exclusive servicing contract to maintain all of Circle’s medical imaging equipment, including technology not provided by GE.
Circle remains in the midst of integrating IT systems acquired in the 2020 purchase of BMI Healthcare, with GE providing digital consultancy on that and the integration of electronic patient records.
“The future of healthcare is in partnerships like this,” GE Healthcare EMEA GM of Partnerships and Solutions John Deverill said. “We are confident that it will take Circle’s already outstanding reputation for clinical engagement and patient outcomes to the next level. We are also confident that this is just the start, as GE and Circle are already collaborating on projects. By joining forces, we can help transform healthcare.”