Bill Gates wants your health records
Microsoft took a step into the electronic health record market yesterday with the introduction of HealthVault, an online place to “collect, store, and share the health information critical to your family’s well-being.”
Still in beta & available for free, Microsoft beat Google to the punch. Similar sites do exist, for example, AOL founder Steve Case’s RevolutionHealth, which deserves a post of it’s own for the interesting things going on there. Microsoft plans to generate revenue by selling ads. In addition to consumer health record management, HealthVault offers a search feature and a ‘Connection Center‘ - “a utility you can use to add data to health records in your HealthVault account from health and fitness devices.” They have partnered with a variety of software developers and health-care companies, including the American Heart Association.
The search feature is most interesting. Take a look at this search on diabetes. MedlinePlus is featured prominently under ‘article results’, right across from the books and products available for purchase from Amazon.
Links
NPR Marketplace:
Bill Gates wants your health records
PC Magazine:
Microsoft Launches ‘HealthVault’ Records-Storage Site