BOSTON, MA – The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech) and its Massachusetts eHealth Institute (MeHI) signed an agreement forming a strategic alliance with the Grenoble, France, based group Medic@lps. The memorandum between the two groups lays out a collaborative partnership that will spur international collaboration around Health IT, which includes growing sectors such as health informatics and Big Data, electronic health records, and mobile health applications.
The memorandum of understanding between the two delegations was finalized today during the E.U. – U.S. eHealth Marketplace and Conference at Boston’s Seaport World Trade Center. The event is part of the inaugural Massachusetts Connected Health Week 2013.
“This agreement will help the Commonwealth’s growing Health IT sector collaborate with researchers and private sector organizations in France, and across Europe as well,” noted Pamela Goldberg, Chief Executive Officer of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative. “Massachusetts has become a global hub for Health IT innovation, which is demonstrated through this agreement and by the strong international attendance for Connected Health Week. By furthering connections with organizations like Medic@lps, we can help provide a boost to Health IT innovators in the Commonwealth by opening up new markets for Health IT companies and collaboration opportunities for our researchers.”
“Massachusetts continues to find success in improving our health care system because of our willingness to cooperate and collaborate on shared goals, and we know we can only achieve these goals by looking beyond our borders for partnerships and opportunities,” Senate President Therese Murray (D-Plymouth) said. “I am proud of how successful this Conference was in bringing together health industry leaders and businesses to establish meaningful and mutually beneficial partnerships. This alliance between MassTech and France’s Medic@lps demonstrates our commitment to advancing health care technology and connected health on a global scale.”
For the last 12 years, Medic@lps has worked to promote and support healthcare and life sciences innovators throughout France. The organization consists of over 70 members and has relationships with 70 international partners throughout the European Union. As an example of their collaborative work across Europe, Medic@lps’ has worked with the JADE program, an effort among 43 E.U.-based organizations which uses healthcare IT to support a healthy aging population.
“We are excited for the opportunity to work with MassTech and the Health IT innovation community throughout Massachusetts over the coming year,” stated Valerie Ayache, managing director of Medic@lps. “We bring broad experience in Health IT and look forward to sharing this knowledge with Massachusetts’ world-class Health IT companies, hospitals, and research organizations.”
The agreement will run for one year and will promote technology exchange, study and training opportunities, as well as joint economic development projects. The goal of the program is to further innovation in the development of hardware, software, integrated technologies, and other tools which facilitate the electronic creation, maintenance, or exchange of and access to health information. The agreement also looks to advance partnerships between affiliate organizations in both regions, including corporations, research institutes, teaching hospitals and development organizations.