Johnson & Johnson partners with Microsoft to further digital surgery solutions

The Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies (JJMDC) will collaborate with Microsoft to enable and expand JJMDC’s secure and compliant digital surgery ecosystem. The Microsoft Cloud will help JJMDC drive innovation that advances skills, improves workflow, and enhances surgical decision making for a better customer experience and improved patient and economic outcomes.

JJMDC’s medical technology exists across an ecosystem including next generation robotics, world-class instrumentation, advanced imaging and visualization, data and analytics, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and digital solutions. To mobilize the potential of these assets and make a clinical difference for patients, it’s imperative to establish robust connectivity with, and between, all elements of the ecosystem with a seamless, interconnected network that meets surgeons where they are in their workflow and patients where they are in their healthcare journey.

“Collaborating with Microsoft will help take our digital approach to the next level as we create a best-in-class, unified platform across our innovative surgical technologies,” says Larry Jones, Group CIO and Global Vice President, Medical Devices, Johnson &Johnson. “It brings together our collective expertise and is an exciting step towards creating a connected patient journey across the entire care continuum, before, during, and after a procedure.”

As part of the strategic partnership, Microsoft will serve as JJMDC’s preferred cloud provider for the company’s digital surgery solutions and help JJMDC build out its digital surgery platform and internet of things (IoT) device connectivity. By harnessing the power of the Microsoft Cloud, including Azure, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning, Microsoft 365 and Dynamics 365, the companies expect to work together to deliver innovation across the following areas:
· Innovating to improve patient outcomes through artificial intelligence, machine learning and data insights.
· Increasing JJMDC device connectivity, insights and intelligence using Azure IoT and Edge Computing technologies.
· Increasing the pace of digital innovation and transformation across the JJMDC digital surgery ecosystem using Azure capabilities and services.

“At the Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices companies, we’re shaping a future where medical intervention is smarter, less invasive, and more personalized,” says Peter Schulam, MD, PhD, Global Head, Medical Affairs, Clinical Affairs and Pre-Clinical Research, Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies, and Leader, Office of Digital Innovation. “We’re excited to collaborate with Microsoft on this important work as we continue to expand our digital surgery assets and capabilities, develop innovative and advanced instrumentation, and make a meaningful clinical difference for customers and patients.”