In the midst of a growing hospital EMR market, GE Healthcare plans to leave the arena.
At HIMSS15, the company confirmed its plans to phase out its Centricity Enterprise product, the acute-care focused EMR. Jon Zimmerman, general manager of clinical business solutions at GE Healthcare, told MedCity News the company will help customers transition to "a solid and effective acute-care EMR."
GE Healthcare has not decided if it will sell the Centricity Enterprise line or help customers transition to vendors of their choice, according to the MedCity News report.
Mr. Zimmerman said GE Healthcare's decision to leave the hospital market was largely due to market dynamics and in the best interest of customers and shareholders. "The market is dominated by a few large vendors," Mr. Zimmerman told MedCity News. "Is it in the best interest of our customers, shareholders and employees to [be] in a market where competitors are clearly ahead, or should we recognize the situation and go to where the market is growing?"
According to the report, GE Healthcare is refocusing efforts on its ambulatory EMR products, such as Centricity EMR, intended for large medical groups, and Centricity Practice Solution EMR and practice management system, which is intended for smaller practices.
GE Healthcare could not be immediately reached for comment.
Editor's note: This article was updated at approximately 9:22 am CDT on April 29, 2015 after receiving a response from GE Healthcare. According to the GE Healthcare, the company made this announcement three years ago, and customers were all previously informed.
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