Dive Brief:
- IBM Watson Health and Siemens Healthineers announced a global strategic alliance in population health management today.
- The goal is to help hospitals and other providers deliver value-based care and reduce costs associated with treating patients with common, chronic and complex conditions like heart disease and cancer.
- The alliance marks the companies’ first in healthcare and Siemens first foray into population health management.
Dive Insight:
Initially, Siemens will sell IBM’s cognitive population health management products and services, combined with Siemens consulting, to help providers transition to value-based care. For example, the alliance gives Siemens access to IBM Watson Car Manager, a new cognitive solution to help physicians and patients work together to support individual health.
The long-term plan is to co-develop and market new Watson-powered offerings, the companies said.
As a newcomer to population health, Siemens benefits from a Watson-differentiated approach to health services. IBM gains a partner with a massive installed base of hospital customers and clinical impact — more than 70% of critical clinical decisions are influenced by Siemens instruments.
The alliance comes less than six months after Siemens divested a slate of health IT offerings and launched Healthineers, which develops solutions to improve patient outcomes by creating greater efficiencies, according to the company website.
It is the latest in move in an effort to transform Big Blue from an antiquated computer sales company to a major force in the digital space. Last week, the company announced it will invest $200 million in its Watson Internet of Things global headquarters in Munich, Germany. The investment is part of the $3 billion IBM has committed to bring Watson cognitive computing to the IoT.
IBM also announced a number of new engagements involving IoT solutions, including an agreement with Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals in Philadelphia to power smart rooms with Watson IoT technology.