Intel CEO Barrett on Workers' Health Initiative
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Today--Intel (along with Wal-MartApplied MaterialsB-P America and Pitney Bowes announced a major healthcare initiative called Dossia. It’s a new way for millions of employees to better manage their personal health records and their healthcare. In a “First on CNBC” – Intel Chairman Craig Barrett discussed why he’s so enthusiastic about this new plan with CNBC’s Mark Haines and Erin Burnett.
Barrett said Dossia is a new way in which health care records are compiled and accessed on the internet. The founding members--which make up 2.5 million individuals--are all contributing to the development of Dossia. Down the road when it goes wide, there would be a small nominal charge per employee that companies would pay.
Barrett calls Dossia the first active engagement to modernize the medical system and that it will help manage costs but also give employees a portable record of the health care activities--so they can manage their health over the lifetime.
The program rolls out in 2007 only for employees of the founding members. They want to start small and then ramp up quickly--hoping the plan will expand to other companies and even in states across the country.
Haines said what makes this particularly interesting is this is the customer saying to the health care provider you’ve got to modernize and use technology. Barrett replied, “The system needs to be modernized I don’t know how to do it any other way other than to use purchasing power.”
