The $133 million alliance will offer new educational opportunities for students and use precision medicine to elevate care quality.

Siemens Healthineers, the University of Missouri System (UM System), and the University of Missouri Health Care (MU Health Care) have partnered to form the Alliance for Precision Health, which will promote education in technology and engineering, develop new research initiatives, and improve patient care with precision medicine.

The strategic alliance will focus on four pillars, including healthcare delivery, education and workforce development, healthcare innovation, and research and collaboration to improve care quality for patients in Missouri and around the world.

Through a ten-year Value Partnerships agreement, valued at $133 million, Siemens Healthineers will ensure UM System and MU Health Care have access to innovative solutions in diagnostic and therapeutic equipment, educational and training resources, and digital health solutions. 

The parties will also jointly contribute to the establishment of the Alliance for Precision Health in amounts that could reach $40 million. 

“Our vision for the entire UM System is to advance the opportunities for success and well-being in Missouri, the nation and the world through transformative teaching, research, innovation, engagement and inclusion,” said UM System President Mun Y. Choi. 

“Forming an alliance with Siemens Healthineers enables us to work toward this mission by providing our university and health system with leading-edge technology and resources, unique research and collaboration opportunities, training for the next generation of the healthcare workforce and expansion of our contributions to medicine and healthcare to rural Missouri and beyond.”

Siemens will provide the UM System with laboratory and imaging technology, as well as enterprise services and digital solutions. UM System will have access to artificial intelligence and other innovative technologies to optimize operations and develop best practices for diagnostic and therapeutic treatments.

The alliance will also aim to prepare students for the fields of cybersecurity, data science, machine learning, and AI. The MU College of Engineering and Siemens Healthineers will provide mentoring opportunities for students made up of qualified researchers and healthcare professionals. 

“This alliance will help the University of Missouri recruit and develop the world’s best and brightest researchers and students,” MU Chancellor Alexander N. Cartwright said. 

“Our medical, graduate and undergraduate students will have access to unprecedented educational, entrepreneurial and industry opportunities. They will graduate as some of the most qualified professionals and scholars in Missouri and beyond, and will go on to lead today’s — and tomorrow’s — healthcare workforce in such critical areas as cybersecurity, data science, artificial intelligence and even jobs we can’t imagine yet.”

Additionally, Siemens Healthineers and UM System will cross-share their research findings with their partner institutions and work together to create an integrated digital workplace. Both organizations will work to initiate projects that focus on the advancement and development of precision medicine. 

UM System is joining other prestigious academic institutions that are shining a spotlight on precision heath. Early this month, the University of San Francisco announced that it would open a new cancer building focused on making precision medicine available to patients. The new facility will use immunotherapy, genetic counseling, and other advanced treatments to deliver personalized care to its adult population. 

UM System, MU Health Care, and Siemens Healthineers will also work to improve care delivery for their patients. 

“At MU Health Care, our mission is to save and improve lives,” said Jeremy Fotheringham, executive director of University Hospital service lines at MU Health Care. 

“The launch of this innovative industry and university alliance allows us to lead the transformation of healthcare delivery, teaching and research to have a greater, demonstrable impact on lives in Missouri and beyond.”

The alliance will support the research, educational, and clinical care goals of the new statewide NextGen Precision Health Initiative, UM System’s highest priority. The initiative focuses on treatments for cancer, Alzheimer’s, cardiovascular disease, and other illnesses that affect patients in Missouri and around the world.

The effort will be anchored by the NextGen Precision Health Institute at the University of Missouri’s flagship organization in Columbia, Missouri, where researchers and industry partners will work together to accelerate innovative treatments. The building will feature laboratories and classrooms for faculty and researchers to focus on precision medicine. 

“This unique alliance leverages the engineering expertise of Siemens Healthineers along with our innovative systems and services in tandem with the research and education acumen of the UM System and the clinical expertise of MU Health Care to both transform the way that healthcare is delivered and train the clinical and engineering workforce of the future,” said David Pacitti, President and Head of the Americas, Siemens Healthineers. 

“As one of the largest single alliance deals in Siemens Healthineers history, this strategic relationship ensures that we can elevate the patient experience for those in Missouri and beyond for years to come.”

Source: https://healthitanalytics.com/news/siemens-university-of-missouri-form-precision-medicine-alliance