Huawei Deepens Cooperation with University Medical Center Groningen

BEIJING, Sept. 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Huawei signed a new enhanced cooperation agreement with the University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands, deepening cooperation in the area of Smart Healthcare during the 2015 Huawei Cloud Congress.

Huawei and UMCG, one of Europe's largest medical facilities, signed a three-party Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Groningen City Government earlier this year, to explore a partnership for developing Smart City concepts in the Groningen region using Huawei technologies. The city's aim is to improve the quality and intelligence of its residents' lives and enhance healthcare, public safety, urban services, environmental protection and business activities.

UMCG and Huawei have now enhanced their agreement by deepening cooperation in Smart Healthcare. Several research lines within the Healthy Ageing programme have started recently, especially in the Healthy Ageing Research field in which UMCG is the leading organisation in this European programme for future healthcare. To facilitate the programme, a massive data processing infrastructure for collecting and analysing regional healthcare bio-data is needed. This requires fast computing technology based on newer generation ICT software and hardware technology. In clinical terms, ICT technology is able to cover and track hospital facilities and patient traffic, with the result that early signalling of hospital infectious diseases could be largely improved. This would dramatically reduce medical costs in the future, as hospital infection is one of the leading complications consuming more than 10% of medical resources.

"UMCG, which is part of the University of Groningen, is one of the top medical and research organisations in Europe. It is always looking for new ways in which patient care can be improved, and Huawei offers many innovative communications solutions for digitisation of health services," said David He, President Marketing & Solution Sales Dept, Huawei EBG. "We are delighted that UMCG has chosen Huawei to explore how Smart Healthcare and Smart Hospital concepts can offer more options to its staff and students, who will after all become the clinical experts of the future."

UMCG Vice-Chairman, Professor Dr Folkert Kuipers, said: "Cooperation with Huawei offers great advantages. Groningen is already in a leading position in Smart Healthcare in some areas. This MoU opens the door for UMCG to partner with a global player like Huawei. With its worldwide resources and innovative technological platforms, Huawei can help us further strengthen our leading position in the Netherlands and Europe."

Groningen is one of six Dutch cities - the others are Amstelveen, Amsterdam, The Hague, Tilburg and Utrecht - to sign a Smart City MoU with Huawei. Until now, Huawei has provided Smart City solutions to more than 100 cities in over 40 countries and regions worldwide. Huawei is also becoming an important ICT partner for local government in the Netherlands.

With increasing connectivity in cities, Huawei has developed multiple technologies for the Smart City concept, such as Smart Government, Safe City, Smart Emergency Command, Smart Education, Smart Grid and Smart Tourism, as well as Smart Hospital. All of these concepts are being explored with the City of Groningen and regional organisations, and with UMCG. Huawei would like to build up a sustainable partnership to work together with UMCG to transform the existing healthcare system into a 'future ready' system.

About UMCG

The University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) was established in 2005 after the merging of the University of Groningen medical school and the Academic Hospital Groningen (AZG). UMCG is one of the largest hospitals in the Netherlands and Europe.

About Huawei

Huawei is a leading global information and communications technology (ICT) solutions provider.