Today GE Healthcare unveils a ‘one of a kind’ virtual video tour of the Olympic Village Polyclinic. The ground-breaking interactive video, shot in 360 degrees, a first within a healthcare setting, allows viewers to have an exclusive view within an Olympic Village Polyclinic and learn more about the broad range of medical imaging technologies in use from GE Healthcare...a truly VIP behind the scenes experience!

Viewers can navigate from room-to-room between the advanced imaging and diagnostic technologies in use, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computing tomography (CT), ultrasound, X-Ray, electrocardiogram (ECG) and IT & monitoring systems that will help supply care, early diagnosis and treatment for over 22, 000 competing London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic athletes, as well as Games’ attendees and team staff.

Also featured in the video are officials from the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) explaining how the Polyclinic facility is available to offer world-class healthcare services during the Games 24/7, as well as how the sophisticated medical equipment will be put to use.

Dr Richard Budgett, LOCOG Chief Medical Officer, said “People really do have to view this video experience to see how the Polyclinic will operate during the Games. The building itself, as well as the world-class medical services we offer here, is something that we are very proud of – it’s quite remarkable. This is also a great opportunity to see how the outstanding GE Healthcare technology will be used.”

Finn Crotty, GE Healthcare’s Olympics Project Lead added “It’s fantastic to see GE’s latest medical imaging technologies here at the Olympic Village Polyclinic, which will aid in the early diagnosis, monitoring and treatment of injuries. Working closely with LOCOG we are providing significant support for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games from a healthcare standpoint and offering athletes access to state-of-the-art imaging facilities. We are proud that with this interactive video experience we are able to showcase this exceptional facility to medical professionals and members of the public.”

This first 360 degree interactive video experience was filmed inside the Olympic Village Polyclinic located at the Olympic Village in the Olympic Park in Stratford in a state-of-the-art building that will provide up to 16, 000 athletes and team officials staying in the Village during the Olympic Games and 6, 200 athletes and officials during the Paralympic Games with access to 24 hour healthcare services.

Interact with the 360 degree video experience here

Note to the editors

In addition to the technology supplied to the Olympic Polyclinic. GE is also providing a legacy gift to the local community in East London in the form of £4.5 million of healthcare technology for a new neonatal unit at the official Olympic hospital – Homerton University Hospital, opened in December 2010. This is designed to help tackle the local problem of high levels of mortality among new born and premature babies, with the aim of making a positive impact for years to come.

GE is a sponsor of the British Triathlon Federation (BTF) and has been working closely with the athletes and the team’s Performance Director to help the members of the elite team achieve marginal gains in performance and enhance their prospects of winning medals at London 2012.

In addition, also for the care of the Olympians, ultrasound systems will be available at Weymouth (Sailing) Eton Dorney (Rowing), and the Greenwich (Equestrian), while for the general public, over 200 defibrillators will be located at different venue sites in case of emergency.

Ends

About GE and the Olympic Games

GE is the exclusive provider of a wide range of innovative products and services that are integral to staging a successful Olympic Games. GE works closely with host countries, cities and organizing committees to provide infrastructure solutions for Olympic venues including power, lighting, water treatment and transportation. GE also supplies local hospitals with healthcare IT solutions and diagnostic imaging equipment like ultrasound, MRI and electronic medical record technologies to help doctors treat athletes. For more information, visit www.ge.com/olympicgames.

GE is also a partner of British Triathlon teams, providing support and expertise for the athletes as they prepare and compete at the highest levels in the run up to the 2012 Olympic Games. We support British Triathlon Elite events, Elite Paratriathlon team, Age Group teams, home nation regional academies, and the British Triathlon Coach Development programme.

About GE Healthcare

GE Healthcare provides transformational medical technologies and services that are shaping a new age of patient care. Our broad expertise in medical imaging and information technologies, medical diagnostics, patient monitoring systems, drug discovery, biopharmaceutical manufacturing technologies, performance improvement and performance solutions services help our customers to deliver better care to more people around the world at a lower cost. In addition, we partner with healthcare leaders, striving to leverage the global policy change necessary to implement a successful shift to sustainable healthcare systems.

Our “healthymagination” vision for the future invites the world to join us on our journey as we continuously develop innovations focused on reducing costs, increasing access and improving quality around the world. Headquartered in the United Kingdom, GE Healthcare is a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE). Worldwide, GE Healthcare employees are committed to serving healthcare professionals and their patients in more than 100 countries. For more information about GE Healthcare, visit our website at www.gehealthcare.com

For our latest news, please visit http://newsroom.gehealthcare.com