Microsoft launches HealthVault

09 Oct 2007

Microsoft has launched a major personal health record initiative based on a secure website that allows users to store and share their health records using a free online service.

The HealthVault portal allows users to store and share their medical histories, immunisation details, and data from monitoring devices such as glucose and cholestoral levels. A dedicated health search engine will enable easy navigation and organisation of users’ health data.

Users will be able to download medical information, such as laboratory results or x-rays, from the web sites of their healthcare provider. They will also be able to directly download data from HealthVault-compatible digital health monitors and devices, and store the data on their PHR.

Individual users will then be able to elect to provide access to parts of their PHRs to their doctor, family member or carer through a secure email invitation. Microsoft stresses that all data stored in HealthVault will be secure and pledges it will not mine or sell data.

With the launch of HealthVault Microsoft has succeeded in stealing a march on the launch of a similar ‘health record bank’ service by arch-rival Google, understood to have ambitions around linking search technology with PHRs.

HealthVault was launched in the US last week by the software giant, with 40 healthcare providers, health management device manufacturers and patient advocacy organisations saying they will participate. There is no word on plans for a UK or European launch.

Microsoft plans to develop HealthVault as a hub for which different healthcare organisations will develop compatible HealthVault applications. The company says there will be a network effect, with the value of the platform and applications growing as more organisations join and connect.

Microsoft describes HealthVault as a ‘software and services’ platform that is designed to help people better manage their health information at no cost. Revenue is to be generated through advertising linked to the HealthVault search engine.

In tandem with the portal Microsoft launched HealthVault Search, described as a powerful new vertical health search tool that is designed to intuitively organise the most relevant online health content. It is envisaged that HealthVault Search will eventually allow users to connect directly with HealthVault compatible solutions.

The health search tool is integrated with Microsoft’s Live Search and accessible through theHeathVault website.

Peter Neupert, corporate vice president of the Health Solutions Group at Microsoft, said at last week’s launch: “Our focus is simple: to empower people to lead healthy lives. The launch of HealthVault makes it possible for people to collect their private health information on their terms and for companies across the health industry to deliver compatible tools and services built on the HealthVault platform.”

Link

HealthVault

Reader's Comments

Could it be true ?

david.hannam@strandtechnology.co.uk

12 Oct 07 14:16

Online medical / care records, integration with third party device and solution providers - isn't this a free version of the national programme ! Or am I just being silly ?

Hmmm

nhstechie@btinternet.com

14 Oct 07 10:20

This will provide a handy place for individual patients to deposit the information they have available, but raises questions about equality of access and outcomes. The people who need to use the NHS the most are probably least likely to have the financial wherewithall or time to access and populate this "private" information vault.

How would clinicians gain access, not just in an emergency but in an elective situation? I can't imagine GPs being so pleased to be given by umpteen patients every moning a URL, username and password to access during standard consultations - imagine the clinical hours wasted sitting watching an MS hourglass turning over whilst waiting for a connection to be established over N3!

Worldwide record for free

andy.hadley@ferndown.nhs.uk

17 Oct 07 11:50

Oh come on NHS Techie. Equity of access based on IT literacy may be a problem, but Healthvault as it stands claims to be free, in the same way that MSN mail, yahoo, and many other Internet portals are free to use. I haven't signed up (it would be a pretty empty record), but either advertising or perhaps some return of the vast MS profits to benefit the world population must be welcome.

And as to GPs having difficulties accessing it via N3, that is surely an issue about N3 and CfH design.

It will have the advantage of being available anywhere on the planet with internet access, and the disadvantage of being patient controlled, so maybe only a partial record, of variable provenance.

It must be good for the empowered citizen frustrated with repeating information, and the slow progress of replacing paper records via the grand and expensive schemes here and elsewhere.

One of our enlightened Consultants at a local hospital was brave enough to suggest back in 1999 we solve our paper records problems by giving them to the person with the most vital interest in keeping it ordered, safe and complete - the patient.

Does it replace NCRS ? I am sure the NHS is not brave enough. Will we have to interact with it ? Undoubtedly. Will CfH and LSPs make it easier or more difficult. I can guess.

Which is going to work?

director@doctors.org.uk

17 Oct 07 12:09

Healthvault is a fully functional patient-managed health record which comes from an organisation with a good record for popular, well-coded, user-friendly and secure web-based applications and which works today.

NCRS is none of the above.

Guess: 1) Which is going to be most effective? 2) Which is CfH going to choose?

Apologies - US wide for free

andy.hadley@ferndown.nhs.uk

17 Oct 07 12:49

Tried to log on, to stay informed. It didn't tell me until it had changed my MSN account, it appears healthcare information is only important to the richest country on the planet. Apologies for assuming that MS would launch worldwide. Perhaps an opportunity for Google to beat them to it everywhere else. :

Thank you for your interest in Microsoft HealthVault This release of Microsoft HealthVault is intended for use only within the United States(US). We are working to make HealthVault available globally and encourage you to try again at a later date