Microsoft acquires Global Care Solutions

An interesting piece of news caught my attention today – Microsoft acquired Global Care Solutions (GCS).

Ok, here’s why it is interesting to me.

• I administer a GCS PACS (among other clinical IT systems) for about 5 years
• The GCS PACS I administrated is one of the first few deployment by GCS outside Thailand
• Through the adminstration of the PACS, I had the opportunity to learn and gain extensive experience pertaining to numerous aspect of Healthcare Informatics (both technical and operational)
• Most of the technology I deploy are Microsoft based product
• I am the first indutee to the Microsoft Certified Professional Hall of Fame (International)

Alright, before I continue, I must repeat a few disclaimers;

1. BinaryHealthcare.com is a vendor netural web portal, I am not paid by any vendors to say anything
2. All opnions are my own and are not representative of my employer (so don’t go around twisting my words)

Now GCS has some really nifty products, having said this, it doesn’t mean that my current employer have inferior products (I saw this one coming, don’t even try), in fact, the cardiology informatics suite of products managed by me is by far, the best in the industry (and that is a fact. Period).

Back to the topic, with Microsoft acquiring GCS, I can forsee the combination as a powerful one and that it indicates that Microsoft has finally taken the most important step in venturing into the Healthcare Informatics arena.

Is this good? I personally think so, good competition always pushes the industry to improve itself and healthcare is one of the few important industry that has yet truely benefited from the use of Information Technology.  It will be interesting to see how Microsoft will utilise the technology GCS has developed and frankly speaking, I look forward to finding out.