Nov 18, 2003
GE and Guidant Announce Unique Long-Term Relationship to Enhance and Improve Cardiovascular Patient Care

Strategic alliance allows for sharing of data and systems

Milwaukee, Wis. and St. Paul, Minn. - GE Medical Systems, a division of the General Electric Company (NYSE: GE) and Guidant Corporation (NYSE: GDT) today announced that they have entered into a long-term relationship to advance and improve patient care.

Under the unique agreement, the companies will embark on several initiatives to seamlessly integrate data from an implantable cardiovascular device into a patient''s electronic medical record so that clinicians can quickly determine a patient''s condition and make a more accurate diagnosis.

"We''ve heard from clinicians that they are looking to improve both the quality and the flow of information in cardiovascular care," said Dow Wilson, president and CEO of GE Medical Systems Information Technologies. "This relationship will strive to redefine the way cardiologists receive and access patient information. Working with Guidant, we intend to help make clinicians more efficient by integrating critical information between implantable devices and information systems."

Guidant and GE will work to develop the industry''s first open standard of communication between implantable cardiovascular devices and clinical information systems, which will dramatically improve clinical workflow and patient care. Specifically, Guidant devices will communicate with GE systems by sharing data from implantable devices to populate into GE''s information systems. A channel will be created between Guidant''s Advanced Patient Management(tm) (APM) systems and GE''s systems to deliver a data stream to benefit and support continuity of care for both companies.

"Through Guidant''s Advanced Patient Management initiative we seek to deliver valuable information contained within Guidant''s implanted cardiovascular devices, " said Fred McCoy, president, Cardiac Rhythm Management, Guidant Corporation. "This new approach holds the potential to revolutionize clinical paradigms in the way physicians monitor status, predict clinical direction and manage the medical needs of their patients."

Advanced Patient Management applications are designed to enable clinicians to monitor patient heart function remotely and automatically. Currently in the developmental stage, Guidant intends to equip its pacemakers, defibrillators and cardiac resynchronization devices with the latest telecommunications and information technologies. APM is being developed to provide real-time awareness so physicians can diagnose and treat patients with abnormal heart rhythms and those who struggle with heart failure. APM could decrease the need for routine follow-up physician visits, potentially reducing costs and improving clinician productivity while enhancing patient convenience.

"GE and Guidant will work to develop a new standard that will allow cardiologists to view patient information in an entirely new way," said Wilson. "A patient''s data from the implantable monitoring device will be available instantly, along with historical medical information in the patient''s electronic medical record, so the clinician has the comprehensive information he needs at his fingertips to make accurate and better informed decisions. That means better patient care."

"Guidant is pleased to work with GE on these projects to improve medical therapy, patient outcomes, and health care economics," stated McCoy. "Guidant benefits through such an alliance relationship in this emerging opportunity to dramatically advance patient care."

About Guidant Corporation

Guidant Corporation pioneers lifesaving technology, giving an opportunity for better life today to millions of cardiac and vascular patients worldwide. The company, driven by a strong entrepreneurial culture of more than 11,000 employees, develops, manufactures and markets a broad array of products and services that enable less invasive care for some of life''s most threatening medical conditions. For more information visit www.guidant.com.

About GE Medical Systems Information Technologies

GE Medical Systems Information Technologies provides hospitals and healthcare systems with advanced solutions to improve their clinical performance. The expertise spans the areas of cardiology, patient monitoring, image management, clinical communications, and clinical information systems to enable a real-time, integrated electronic medical record. GE Medical Systems Information Technologies is a business of GE Medical Systems, a $10 billion global leader in medical imaging and technology. Additional information about GE Medical Systems can be found at www.gemedical.com.