CareFusion, Cisco and Medtronic to Collaborate With West Wireless Health Institute on Technology and Educational Initiatives

Companies demonstrate continued commitment to accelerate emerging wireless health industry

SAN DIEGO, June 18 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The West Wireless Health Institute (WWHI) today announced CareFusion, Cisco and Medtronic have joined its roster of Technology and Education (T&E) partners.  Each company plans to work closely with the Institute's clinical and engineering teams on a variety of research, technology and educational initiatives focused on accelerating wireless health solutions.

WWHI, founded in March 2009 with a $45 million gift from the Gary and Mary West Foundation, is one of the world's first medical research organizations dedicated to lowering health care costs by innovating, validating, advocating for, investing in and commercializing wireless health solutions. The nonprofit Institute is headquartered in San Diego, California, the global hub for wireless life science research and development.

"These companies clearly understand the power of wireless mobile devices and their potential to transform health care delivery," said Dr. Eric J. Topol, vice chairman of the board and chief innovation officer, West Wireless Health Institute. "While each partner is bringing unique expertise to the table, we know that our combined and shared efforts will generate creative solutions for improving care and lowering costs."

The Institute is forging the T&E partnerships with like-minded stakeholders around the world to drive innovation and advance the emerging field of wireless health, with the goal of lowering health care costs.  In addition to the companies announced today, GE Healthcare and Qualcomm are also T&E partners.  The partnerships are based on the mutual exchange of ideas, technical assistance and expertise, and do not include any exchange of funds.

"CareFusion is committed to identifying new opportunities to help eliminate medication errors, hospital-acquired infections and reduce the cost of health care, and we believe wireless monitoring and other mobile health solutions will have a tremendous impact in these areas," said Mike Martino, senior vice president of Innovation, Business Development and Strategy, CareFusion.  "We look forward to working with the West Wireless Health Institute to help bridge wireless technology and improved patient care."

"In our ongoing efforts to identify how Cisco can make a difference in people's lives, we try to look at technology as an enabler in solving critical problems," said Nicholas Augustinos, senior director of global healthcare solutions for Cisco's Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG). "As recognized by the exclusive endorsement of Cisco's wireless products by the American Hospital Association we believe strongly in the potential of wireless health care solutions to help solve the challenge of inefficient and expensive health care delivery. We are proud to join together with the West Wireless Health Institute to truly make a difference in the quality and cost of health care around the world."

For more information on WWHI, please visit www.westwirelesshealth.org.

ABOUT CAREFUSION CORPORATION

CareFusion (NYSE: CFN) is a global corporation serving the health care industry with products and services that help hospitals measurably improve patient care. The company develops market-leading technologies including Alaris® IV pumps, Pyxis® automated dispensing and patient identification systems, AirLife™, AVEA® and LTV® series of ventilators and respiratory products, ChloraPrep® skin prep products, MedMined™ services for infection surveillance, V. Mueller® and Snowden-Pencer® surgical instruments and NeuroCare diagnostic products. CareFusion employs more than 15,000 people across its global operations. More information may be found at www.carefusion.com.

ABOUT CISCO SYSTEMS

Cisco, (Nasdaq: CSCO), the worldwide leader in networking that transforms how people connect, communicate and collaborate, this year celebrates 25 years of technology innovation, operational excellence and corporate social responsibility. Information about Cisco can be found at http://www.cisco.com. For ongoing news, please go to http://newsroom.cisco.com.

ABOUT THE WEST WIRELESS HEALTH INSTITUTE

The West Wireless Health Institute (www.westwirelesshealth.org) is one of the first medical research organizations in the world supporting the exploration and application of wireless technologies to advance infrastructure independent health care. Based in San Diego, California, the nonprofit Institute is fostering an unprecedented convergence of medicine, engineering, science, technology and health care economics. Its mission is to cut health care costs by accelerating the availability of wireless medical solutions.

SOURCE West Wireless Health Institute