COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) announced today that, for the first time, it will use electronic medical records (EMR) for managing athlete care. The USOC will use GE’s Centricity* Practice Solution, an integrated EMR and practice management product, to manage the care of more than 700 athletes competing in the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games as well as for 3,000 additional records maintained by USOC staff. The technology will replace pallets of paper records historically shipped by the USOC to the Games and will provide doctors with faster access to athletes’ medical records– ultimately supporting the doctor’s ability to provide more targeted care.
“The introduction of GE’s EMR technology is a big step forward for the USOC sports medicine program,” said Dr. Bill Moreau, USOC managing director of sports medicine. “EMR technology will allow us to better monitor and analyze the health of Team USA athletes, not only when they receive care at our facilities, but also when they are competing and training around the world. Our elite athletes have dedicated themselves to performing at the highest levels in sport and I believe this technology will help us to support them with the highest levels of sports medicine.”
Jan De Witte, president and chief executive officer of GE Healthcare IT and Performance Solutions, said “GE is proud to support the United States Olympic Committee. Dr. Moreau and his team deliver world class care for world class athletes and we are thrilled to provide the technology to help provide easy secure access to their medical information and an intuitive user interface which allows for easy adoption by its providers.”
US Women’s Soccer National Team Player Alex Morgan said, “As an athlete, my health is a very important driver of my performance on the field. My playing schedule takes me all over the world and no matter where I am I need to have the best possible medical care. Knowing that my doctors will have quick and easy access to my health information puts my mind at ease. It allows me to not worry about my health and instead focus on the task at hand – in this case, winning the gold for Team USA in London.”
The USOC will seamlessly connect GE Centricity Practice Solution with GE’s Centricity PACS-IW software technology for medical record image viewing and storage. GE is among the world’s top software companies and employs more than 5,000 software developers, some of whom developed this EMR technology. GE provides a comprehensive range of diagnostic imaging equipment to the U.S. Olympic Training Centers, including MRI, X-ray, and ultrasound, to provide the best care for America’s elite athletes.
Sponsorship Extension
GE and the USOC also announced today an extension of their sponsorship partnership beginning with the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia and continuing through the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea and the 2020 Games. GE remains the USOC’s exclusive provider of a wide range of innovative products, technology and services. GE’s U.S. Olympic Committee partnership started in January 2005.
“We value our relationship with the USOC and look forward to continuing our partnership to bring the best technology and healthcare to work for the United States Olympians and Paralympians as they prepare for competition,” said Peter Foss, president, GE Olympic Sponsorship and Corporate Sales.
Scott Blackmun, chief executive officer of the USOC said “GE has been a great supporter of America’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes and we are thrilled by the news of this extension. We look forward to building on this partnership and working with this valued partner for years to come.”
*Centricity is a registered trademark of General Electric Company.
About GE Healthcare
GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services that are shaping a new age of patient care. Our broad expertise in medical imaging and information technologies, medical diagnostics, patient monitoring systems, drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies, performance improvement and performance solutions services help our customers to deliver better care to more people around the world at a lower cost. In addition, we partner with healthcare leaders, striving to leverage the global policy change necessary to implement a successful shift to sustainable healthcare systems.
Our "healthymagination" vision for the future invites the world to join us on our journey as we continuously develop innovations focused on reducing costs, increasing access and improving quality and efficiency around the world. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, GE Healthcare is a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE). Worldwide, GE Healthcare employees are committed to serving healthcare professionals and their patients in more than 100 countries. For more information about GE Healthcare, visit our website at www.gehealthcare.com.
About the USOC
Founded in 1894 and headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colo., the U.S. Olympic Committee serves as both the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States. As such, the USOC is responsible for the training, entering and funding of U.S. teams for the Olympic, Paralympic, Youth Olympic, Pan American and Parapan American Games, while serving as a steward of the Olympic and Paralympic Movements throughout the country. For more information, visit TeamUSA.org.
About GE and the Olympic Games
GE is the exclusive provider of a wide range of innovative products and services that are integral to staging a successful Olympic Games. GE works closely with host countries, cities and organizing committees to provide infrastructure solutions for Olympic venues including power, lighting, water treatment and transportation. GE also supplies local hospitals with diagnostic imaging equipment and healthcare IT solutions like ultrasound, MRI and electronic medical record technologies to help doctors treat athletes. For more information, please visit www.ge.com/olympicgames.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) works on things that matter. The best people and the best technologies taking on the toughest challenges. Finding solutions in energy, health and home, transportation and finance. Building, powering, moving and helping to cure the world. Not just imagining. Doing. GE works. For more information, visit the company's website at www.ge.com.