Johnson & Johnson and IBM have announced plans to collaborate around a new generation of intelligent virtual coaching solutions and applications designed to transform the patient experience and deliver improved health outcomes. The companies intend to finalize the terms of a definitive agreement by the end of the second quarter. The planned collaboration is intended to provide healthcare systems with holistic virtual coaching and rehabilitation solutions striving to transform the patient experience and healthcare delivery model by creating an integrated view of patient care.

Johnson & Johnson and IBM's newly formed Watson Health unit intend to use advanced data analysis and insights to help develop personalized patient engagement and coaching solutions that span consumer wellness and chronic condition management. Through the collaboration, Johnson & Johnson would also leverage IBM's relationship with Apple, Inc. to deliver new iPhone and iPad applications. As a first step, Johnson & Johnson envisions the launch of next-generation health and wellness coaching solutions centered on preoperative and postoperative patient care for joint replacement and spine surgeries. These mobile solutions would build on the Patient Athlete program, recently launched by the DePuy Synthes Companies of Johnson & Johnson and the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute, which specialized in applying sport science principles and holistic energy-management training, to drive sustained behavior change.

These mobile solutions would draw on data, analytics, and insights from the IBM Watson Health Cloud and Watson cognitive technology, including predictive analytics, machine learning, and healthcare provider connectivity, to improve clinical and financial results. The companies are also exploring ways to harness Watson Health's data sets to create new models that will better predict patient responses to various medical interventions.

Source: Johnson & Johnson