GE Medical Systems Provides NASA Important Heart Monitoring Systems for Space Mission; Advances Use of Telemedicine.

Business Editors/Medical Writers

MILWAUKEE and HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 1, 2002

For the first time in the history of the U.S. Space Program, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will be using commercially available heart monitoring and information systems for the important task of monitoring the health of astronauts while they work outside their spacecraft.

Heart monitoring systems developed by GE Medical Systems Information Technologies, a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE: GE), will be used during the fourth Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission. The mission was launched early this morning when the Space Shuttle Columbia lifted off from Kennedy Space Center, Florida.

During their space walks to work on the Hubble Space Telescope, astronauts' cardiac information will be transmitted in real-time to Mission Control at the NASA Johnson Space Center where it will be monitored using the GE CIC Pro(TM) Clinical Information Center and the Apex Pro(TM) Telemetry System. After each space walk, the cardiac data will be further analyzed and archived using the MARS(R) Unity Workstation.

The GE systems being used by NASA are now being used by healthcare professionals in the U.S. and worldwide. "This technology illustrates the value and capability of telemedicine--the ability to effectively read, monitor and analyze a patient's heart condition from miles away," said Joseph Hogan, president and CEO of GE Medical Systems. "The concept of telemedicine works for the sophisticated care and monitoring of astronauts as well as for heart patients in our local communities," said Hogan.

Prior to this mission, NASA developed and used its own proprietary systems. Instead of recreating advanced heart monitoring systems, NASA decided to reach out to the private sector and select systems best suited for their needs. By doing so, NASA is effectively taking advantage of the state of the art in healthcare while at the same time exploring applications of this technology in ways that may benefit everyday medical practices here on Earth. The result is a more cost effective solution for NASA and an opportunity for GE to benefit from NASA's expertise.

With technical support from GE Medical Systems, Wyle Laboratories, Life Sciences Systems and Services, a prime support contractor at NASA Johnson Space Center, performed integration of the GE medical systems with NASA's communication and mission control infrastructure, and will operate the systems during this mission.

Looking to the future, the goal is to integrate all cardiac data from astronauts to continue to better understand the impact of space flight on the heart and other physiological functions.

"For the past 35 years, we've helped healthcare providers deliver first-of-its-kind monitoring technology that elevates the quality of patient care worldwide," said Greg Lucier, president and CEO of GE Medical Systems Information Technologies. "The Hubble mission marks yet another `first' for our technology, and we're hopeful of its positive impact on the space program and advancement for patient care."

According to Lucier, GE has helped healthcare providers create more than 2 billion cardiac patient records to date. Recently GE Medical Systems Information Technologies introduced the nation's first all digital heart hospital, expected to open year-end.

About GE Medical Systems Information Technologies

GE Medical Systems Information Technologies provides hospitals and healthcare systems with advanced software and technologies to improve their clinical performance. The expertise spans the areas of cardiology, patient monitoring, image management, clinical communications, and clinical information systems to enable a real-time, integrated electronic medical record. GE Medical Systems Information Technologies is a business of GE Medical Systems, an $8 billion global leader in medical imaging and technology. Additional information about GE Medical Systems can be found at www.gemedical.com.