Posted 04 May 2010
GE Healthcare partners up with TRIL and invests $3 million
GE Healthcare has become the second industry partner of the TRIL (Technology Research for Independent Living) Centre at University College Dublin with an investment of $3 million.
With GE Healthcare alongside co-founder Intel and academic partners University College Dublin, Trinity College Dublin and NUI Galway, TRIL will be able to extend its range of research activities exploring the physical, cognitive and social consequences of ageing and designing technologies to help address them.
“GE Healthcare’s focus on innovative thinking and commitment to improving healthcare while reducing costs will make them a valuable contributor to our research efforts,” says Dr. Brian Caulfield, Academic Director of the TRIL Centre at UCD.
A key goal of TRIL’s research is to enable older people to live independently in the homes of their choice for as long as possible, with the help of technology - and in the process, help ease the strain on global healthcare systems as the world’s population ages.
Home health is a key business focus for GE Healthcare. The company recently acquired Living Independently Group, a provider of QuietCare, a passive activity monitoring system used to assist in the care of the elderly. The company is also leading a consortium of private and public sector organizations in a $5 million three-year home health research program funded by the Hungarian government.
In April 2009, GE and Intel announced the formation of a healthcare alliance to develop and market technologies for independent living and chronic disease management. As part of this alliance, GE Healthcare markets the Intel® Health Guide in the US and UK. The Intel Health Guide is a comprehensive personal health system that combines an in-home patient device – the Intel® Health Guide PHS6000 – as well as an online interface – the Intel® Health Care Management Suite – allowing clinicians to monitor patients from their homes and manage care remotely.
“We are delighted to be part of the TRIL Centre and to be involved in the groundbreaking research being done there,” says Agnes Berzsenyi, General Manager of GE Healthcare’s Home Health Business.
“The world is getting older and this is presenting enormous healthcare challenges in the care of elderly citizens and the prevention and management of chronic disease. We are looking forward to working with TRIL to drive innovation in this emerging area and ultimately transforming the lives of elderly citizens.”
Since TRIL was founded by Intel Corporation and IDA Ireland in January 2007, over 600 older adults have been assessed in the TRIL Clinic and many have participated in the TRIL technology home deployment programme.
The addition of GE Healthcare as an industry partner supports TRIL’s vision of securing additional industry partners from SMEs to multinational companies such as GE and Intel, to advance its research effort.
(Produced by UCD University Relations)
