PITTSBURGH – The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and GE Healthcare have teamed up to create a new digital imaging company called Omnyx. Each will invest $20 million in the venture.

Omnyx will develop and bring to market digital imaging systems for pathologists. The idea, officials said, is to make it possible for pathologists to move away from microscopes and glass slides.

Omnyx's digital platform will be designed to enable clinicians to share images virtually, interpret results using advanced algorithms and reduce costs associated with diagnosis.

The benefit to patients could include reducing medical errors, improving the turnaround time for lab results and integrating pathology information as part of the patient's electronic medical record, GE and UPMC officials say.

"Digital pathology provides a platform for the creation of new tools that will help pathologists screen large numbers of slides in search of a small nest of cells or a few bacteria to quickly and accurately diagnose disease," said George K. Michalopoulos, MD, professor and chairman of the Department of Pathology at the University of Pittsburgh and pathologist at UPMC.

GE and UPMC appointed Gene Cartwright, a 26-year healthcare veteran and former president of GE Healthcare's molecular diagnostics unit, as chief executive officer of Omnyx. The new company will be based in Pittsburgh.

"This new company will revolutionize patient care and expand GE's vision for early health - the ability to diagnose disease at the earliest possible stage, which in turn can lead to more effective treatment and monitoring," said Cartwright. "Digitizing pathology will allow Omnyx to provide doctors with better tools for the full care continuum, enhancing their decision-making capabilities in key disease areas."

GE researchers worked for three years to develop the first prototype systems, he said. Omnyx will unite UPMC's developments in digital pathology with GE's technology to create a solution for high-volume clinical use.

"This innovative collaboration with GE will help to address the critical cost and quality issues facing healthcare today," said Jeffrey Romoff, president and chief executive officer at UPMC. "The formation of Omnyx underscores UPMC's strategy of leveraging its medical, technology and research expertise to create solutions that benefit patients worldwide.

What do you think of this medical center-vendor partnership? Send your comments to Editor Bernie Monegain at bernie.monegain@medtechpublishing.com.