HealthVault allows personal responsibility for healthcare
Andrew Cross
Issue date: 10/11/07 Section: News
Microsoft announced Thursday its release of HealthVault, a comprehensive online medical project designed to help individuals take personal responsibility for healthcare. Microsoft health group has spent the last two years developing the technology for the program.
"The value of what we're doing will go up rapidly as we get more partners," Peter Neupert, vice president of Microsoft health group, said.
Microsoft managers have been busy for several months, meeting with potential partners from hospitals, health-related companies and disease prevention organizations.
By getting in touch with healthcare companies, Microsoft hopes to be able to expand its reach into the medical field.
HealthVault prompts individuals to take a hands-on approach to personal healthcare by allowing users to store personal medical information in a secure, encrypted database. The individual controls what information is stored and who can view it.
HealthVault allows users to receive important healthcare information directly from doctors, clinics and hospitals in a timely manner. Users will be able to view information about medical prescriptions or simple blood pressure and cholesterol tests.
Some hospitals may consider sending the results of certain tests through HealthVault automatically.
Microsoft's HealthVault search provides users with a variety of health information. "Microsoft has licensed content from MayoClinic.com for the HealthVault search application," Ginger Plumbo, communications consultant of Mayo Clinic Health Solutions, said.
Microsoft hopes HealthVault will solve the problem of "healthcare fragmentation."
"It is difficult for individuals and their families to manage and share health information productively, or to navigate online and offline health resources efficiently and accurately," a Microsoft statement read.
The American Heart Association is working closely with Microsoft's HealthVault project to educate the public against heart disease. A number of hospitals are also scouting the project's potential.
"We at BroMenn have long believed that individuals should be actively involved in their own healthcare," Eric Alvin, marketing manager for BroMenn Healthcare, said. "Since 2001, we have offered a feature on our Web site called My Health, which has similarities to Microsoft's HealthVault," Alvin continued. "[My Health] allows users to create free personalized health assessment and management tools, as well as customized health records, all in a secure, password-protected environment," Alvin said.
To make information available on HeathVault, some hospitals may need to adjust current software to make it compatible with Microsoft.
"The value of what we're doing will go up rapidly as we get more partners," Peter Neupert, vice president of Microsoft health group, said.
Microsoft managers have been busy for several months, meeting with potential partners from hospitals, health-related companies and disease prevention organizations.
By getting in touch with healthcare companies, Microsoft hopes to be able to expand its reach into the medical field.
HealthVault prompts individuals to take a hands-on approach to personal healthcare by allowing users to store personal medical information in a secure, encrypted database. The individual controls what information is stored and who can view it.
HealthVault allows users to receive important healthcare information directly from doctors, clinics and hospitals in a timely manner. Users will be able to view information about medical prescriptions or simple blood pressure and cholesterol tests.
Some hospitals may consider sending the results of certain tests through HealthVault automatically.
Microsoft's HealthVault search provides users with a variety of health information. "Microsoft has licensed content from MayoClinic.com for the HealthVault search application," Ginger Plumbo, communications consultant of Mayo Clinic Health Solutions, said.
Microsoft hopes HealthVault will solve the problem of "healthcare fragmentation."
"It is difficult for individuals and their families to manage and share health information productively, or to navigate online and offline health resources efficiently and accurately," a Microsoft statement read.
The American Heart Association is working closely with Microsoft's HealthVault project to educate the public against heart disease. A number of hospitals are also scouting the project's potential.
"We at BroMenn have long believed that individuals should be actively involved in their own healthcare," Eric Alvin, marketing manager for BroMenn Healthcare, said. "Since 2001, we have offered a feature on our Web site called My Health, which has similarities to Microsoft's HealthVault," Alvin continued. "[My Health] allows users to create free personalized health assessment and management tools, as well as customized health records, all in a secure, password-protected environment," Alvin said.
To make information available on HeathVault, some hospitals may need to adjust current software to make it compatible with Microsoft.
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