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Max Healthcare has entered a strategic partnership with medical equipment manufacturer GE Healthcare to develop a range of oncology related services including cancer treatment pathways and protocols, training institute etc in India.
While GE Healthcare will primarily act as the technology and equipment provider, Max will provide its doctors and clinical resources to set up the system, officials from both the companies said on Wednesday.
The partnership will initially span over around 18 months after which the two companies may revisit the pact for further collaboration, Max Healthcare Managing Director and Chief Executive Ajay Bakshi said.
The range of services that will be developed under the current partnership include a digital or virtual tumor patient board, which will allow doctors from all Max Hospitals across the country as well as leading experts from around the world to share patient report and consult for multiple complications. While cancer patients usually develop varied complications and need to consult different specialists, this technology will enable doctors share even diagnostic reports and seek consultation digitally.
Under the partnership, the two companies will also set up a centre of excellence for cancer treatment and a training institute to bridge talent shortage and advance oncology care skill set. The partners would also collaborate on various other areas, including research on cancer and deploying new technologies to treat the disease.
"Through this partnership with Max Healthcare, we aim to understand the fingerprint of specific cancers in India and co-develop disruptive solutions," GE Healthcare President and CEO John Dineen said.
Dineen said oncology research is one of the focus areas for the company and it plans to make significant investment in development of advance technology for cancer care going forward.
