Kaiser Permanente officials say a partnership with IBM will provide management for its data center operations for members, patients and physicians.

As part of the seven-year agreement, IBM will manage Kaiser Permanente's computer systems, storage systems and associated software. Kaiser Permanente will continue to manage applications, including its electronic health record, Kaiser Permanente HealthConnect.

Kaiser Permanente officials say as a result of the agreement with IBM, about 700 positions in its data centers operations will be eliminated. Those affected may be eligible for employment with IBM, they said.

"Kaiser Permanente has led the healthcare industry in developing and using groundbreaking technology that connects the patient and physician in ways that enhance the quality of care and make healthcare more efficient," said Phil Fasano, chief information officer for Kaiser Permanente. "This agreement, grown out of our long-standing strategic relationship with IBM, will allow us to build on our leadership in healthcare technology, staying focused on the safety, satisfaction and privacy of our members and patients and ensuring that our physicians and clinicians continue to deliver real-time, personalized healthcare."

IBM will manage access for 14,000 physicians and thousands of other caregivers using KP HealthConnect and related IT systems and the 2.7 million members who use My Health Manager on kp.org.

"IBM sees information-based medicine helping propel healthcare from its currently unconnected local and regional sectors into a borderless industry that spans the globe," said Chris Nicoletti, IBM's vice president of healthcare and life sciences. "IBM is pleased to work closely with Kaiser Permanente's industry-leading IT organization in efforts to make healthcare more interconnected, more instrumented and more intelligent. We are delighted to expand our long standing relationship by providing IT services that enable real-time healthcare."