Siemens Healthineers and The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center announce strategic partnership

• Ohio State Wexner Medical Center and Siemens Healthineers have committed to a new strategic relationship to bring the most advanced imaging and treatment technologies from Siemens Healthineers to Ohio State patient care and research centers and the surrounding communities.
  
• The partnership provides advanced imaging and cutting-edge radiation oncology modalities at Outpatient Care West Campus predicated upon transformational, AI-driven personalized care solutions for patients.
• The partnership improves access to care for obese and claustrophobic patients through the development of advanced imaging methods.
• The partnership expands next-generation vascular robotics capabilities with long-term goal of providing better access to advanced treatments across Ohio.

Siemens Healthineers and The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center announced a new alliance, aimed at advancing personalized medicine and improving access to high quality, cost-effective healthcare. Through the five-year strategic partnership, Siemens Healthineers and Varian, a Siemens Healthineers company, will provide comprehensive technology and services that will build on previous successful collaborative projects. The university and medical center will contribute research initiatives from scientists, physicians, and patients. This work forms a living lab, a place where early scientific validation will speed breakthroughs in individualized medicine and health care delivery.

The initiative includes an outpatient expansion of The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James). Outpatient Care West Campus, scheduled to open in 2023, will feature cutting-edge imaging and treatment technology made by Siemens Healthineers, including Varian, which has worked with the OSUCCC – James for nearly a decade. The advanced precision cancer care in this new outpatient center includes proton therapy (ProBeam 360°) and radiosurgery (Edge radiosurgery sysem) as well as oncology-focused interventional radiology (Artis Q Ceiling). West Campus will build on this technology, including the current treatment planning capabilities (Eclipse), to offer the most advanced diagnostic and treatment planning tools, including Digital PET (Biograph Vision 600) and Dual Source Dual Energy CT (Somatom Drive and Somatom Force). Siemens Healthineers will also bring new technology to Ohio State’s new inpatient hospital, scheduled to open in 2026, and three other outpatient facilities in New Albany, Dublin, and Powell.

This technology investment is another bold step forward in realizing Ohio State‘s vision of a cancer-free world. Working with Siemens Healthineers, including Varian, Ohio State leads the only university-based International Training Center of Radiation Oncology and Cancer Consortium with a training-dedicated linear accelerator and planning environment. The consortium uses big data approaches to advance education, research, and patient care at 37 institutions around the world.

“With Varian, Siemens Healthineers is ideally positioned to pioneer the next generation of cancer technology that addresses the growing need for personalized cancer care, and we view this partnership with OSUWMC as an important opportunity to advance this goal. The James Cancer Hospital is the third largest cancer hospital in the country, and we’re proud to build on our longstanding relationship and assist them with innovative technology that will provide data and images to help customize treatment based on patient needs,” said David Pacitti, President of Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc. and Head of the Americas, Siemens Healthineers.

Researchers at OSUCCC – James and Siemens Healthineers intend to explore opportunities in intelligent radiation dosimetric contouring algorithms that are uniquely tailored to the individual patient. One potential objective is to create a platform that combines clinical, imaging, pathology, and genomic data with artificial intelligence to drive pathways of care in nearly real time, allowing providers and patients to make even more well-informed, evidence-based decisions together.

“This work not only supports a key step in our mission to improve the lives of our patients, but together we will research ways technology can accelerate breakthrough health discoveries and the care delivery process for all patients in the future," said Peter Mohler, vice president for research at The Ohio State University and chief scientific officer at its Wexner Medical Center.

One of the initial collaborative projects targeting patient access is the co-development of advanced cardiac imaging methods for the Siemens Healthineers Magnetom Free.Max™. The new 80cm bore system offers access to larger and/or claustrophobic patients who previously may not have been able to be scanned. Developing new advanced MRI sequences will expand the system’s capabilities to help even more  patients.

The two organizations will also work to advance vascular robotics beginning this summer using the Corindus CorPath® GRX system, with goals of enhancing precision, efficiency, and patient access to highly specialized endovascular procedures.

"We are energized by this partnership and its potential to bring our organizations together across multiple enterprise-wide projects that will drive meaningful, life-changing advancements in health care discovery, delivery, and access for all," said Jennifer Dauer, chief strategy and transformation officer at Wexner Medical Center.