GE to help care for the 10,000+ athletes from 200 countries competing in London 2012

GE Healthcare, alongside the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG), recently showcased the broad range of medical imaging technologies they will supply for the care of competing athletes at London 2012. The equipment, housed at the main Polyclinic located in the Athletes’ Village in the Olympic Park in Stratford, will provide up to 16,000 athletes and team officials staying in the Village during the Olympic Games and 6,200 athletes and team officials during the Paralympic Games with access to excellent healthcare services.Technologies featured include Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), ultrasound, X-ray, ECG, IT and monitoring systems.As a company, GE Healthcare is working closely with medical leaders at the London 2012 Games to advance the use of advanced medical imaging technologies to optimise and improve athletic performance as competitors strive for medal winning status.

Said John Dineen, CEO, GE Healthcare, “We are delighted to be providing a broad range of our latest healthcare technology for the London 2012Polyclinic. In line with GE’s ‘Healthymagination’ vision and its commitment to sports medicine, these technologies will provide insight into athlete health, as well as offering wider benefits for the general public. The use of technologies that help monitor the health of Olympic athletes will be used before, during and after the London 2012 Games.”

As worldwide sponsor of the London 2012 Olympic Games, GE Healthcare has been working closely with LOCOG, to provide significant support from a healthcare standpoint and offer the world’s Olympic and Paralympic athletes access to state-of-the-art imaging facilities. 

Seb Coe, LOCOG Chair, said, “We have always put athletes’ needs at the heart of the Games. When they are preparing for the most important moment in their sporting careers, it is vital they are in peak condition with all the support they need. We aim to give that medical support to help them deliver their best performance. Our sponsors and our medical team who are experts in their field will pay a vital role in achieving this and I thank them for their ongoing support.”

By making a wide range of medical technology available for use within the Olympic and Paralympic Village and all of the sporting events being held at the Olympic Park, clinicians will be better able to diagnose potential injuries earlier or simply monitor treatment, with a view to ensuring athletes are able to return to their sport as quickly as possible, helping them to stand the best chance of winning a medal for their country.