Entries tagged with healthvault - Channel 10

Are Gene Scans Effective? Microsoft Funds Research To Find Out

sarahintampa — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 23:21:00 GMT

In an effort to discover the effectiveness of DNA scans, Microsoft has funded a research study, along with Scripps Translational Science Institute, Navigenics, and Affymetrix, which will attempt to answer that question. The study will involve up to 10,000 people who will receive scans of their genomes and then a detailed analysis of the results, including information about more than 20 health conditions that may be changed by lifestyle. Those conditions include diseases like diabetes, obesity, heart attacks, and cancer. Over the course of the next 20 years the behavior of those participants will be tracked. The private data for the participants involved will be stored in HealthVault, Microsoft’s online medical and health information web service. (via SeattlePI, Image credit: mknowles)

HealthVault is an Award Winner

sarahintampa — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 12:04:00 GMT

HealthVault, the service that lets you collect, control, store, and shared your health and medical online with trusted friends, family, and medical personnel, has just won its first industry award. The award, from Frost & Sullivan, is a "Best Practices" award for the platform. According to the award notice, the HealthVault SDK has been downloaded over 600,000 times so far. Specifically, the award focused on HealthVault's privacy features, search capabilities, as well as its overall vision. You can read more about HealthVault's win here. (via ZDNet)

Microsoft HealthVault: Your Bio-Lockbox

sarahintampa — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 07:01:00 GMT

HealthVault is a software and services platform designed to help you better manage your health information. Part of this is HealthVault Search, a search tool designed to organize the most relevant online health content, letting you better refine searches for more accuracy, and, eventually, connect you with HealthVault-compatible solutions.

The new set of services that comprise HealthVault are available at health.live.com. Here you can search, collect, and store health information which can then be shared with doctors, hospitals, personal trainers, or anyone you choose. The information can also be shared with specific programs that are designed to access the raw data in your account to provide you with info about managing your health. Health information for many people (like your family...or even your pets!) can be stored within one HealthVault account, but each person’s information is stored and accessed separately. HealthVault Search stores your health searches and results in confidential areas called scrapbooks, which can be accessed from anywhere you have an internet connection.

When you visit health.live.com, you have the option to sign in to HealthVault search by clicking the link on the top right of the page (on the green banner). You then sign in with your Windows Live ID, but you may be prompted to create a stronger password, if your password doesn't meet the minimum password requirements. Alternately, you can also go directly to www.healthvault.com, where all three HealthVault components are available: Search, Account, and Connection Center. The Connection Center is a nice feature, which lets you connect your HealthVault-compatible home health monitoring devices like sport watches, blood glucose monitors, peak flow meters and blood pressure monitors to the HealthVault Connection Center. The HealthVault software will then copy your device's data to your HealthVault record.

Addressing the privacy concerns of a service like this, Dr. Deborah Peel, founder of the Patient Privacy Rights Foundation states: "Microsoft is the first major technology company to engage with the bipartisan Coalition for Patient Privacy in a serious way. The privacy protections built into HealthVault reflect the privacy principles of the Coalition. HealthVault prohibits onward transfer of data without explicit informed consent; its contractual obligations with advertisers require protection of any data transferred from the platform; its privacy policy is simple and easy to understand. That means consumers finally have a trusted place to store their personal health information that will not be data-mined, because they alone control it. Microsoft’s use of strong privacy principles including the principles of the Coalition, its ongoing relationship with consumer advocates, and its commitment to independent third-party audits set a new standard for privacy protections in health information technology.”

Microsoft HealthVault: Search, Store and Connect Health Information

bcrounse — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 17:45:00 GMT

As a physician, I know how important it is to have access to my patient's health information. As a patient, I know how frustrating it is to have my health information scattered across multiple doctors, ambulatory clinics and hospitals. As a care manager for my elderly parents, I've experienced firsthand how difficult it is to keep track of their doctor appointments, medications, and medical problems.

Today, in Washington, D.C., Microsoft is announcing a new tool that will begin to bring order to this chaos. It's called HealthVault; an environment of new online services to help people SEARCH, STORE and CONNECT their health information, putting them in control of their, and their family’s health and wellness.

HealthVault, designed with security and privacy in mind, is built on the principle that people should have a copy of their own health information, have control over it, and be able to share their information with whomever they choose. I think many people are going to proclaim, "It's about time!".

Using HealthVault, people will be able to store and control an array of health information, including prescription medication lists, health histories, hospital discharge summaries, lab results, fitness data and search results.

In addition to being a place to securely store and share personal health information, people can also use HealthVault to access and put to practical use a variety of new health services and home health medical devices.

Microsoft HealthVault Connection Center will make it possible for people to upload health-related data, such as that taken from blood-pressure cuffs, heart rate monitors, blood glucose monitors and peak flow meters. The technology is straightforward and makes it easy to confidently share health information with family, caregivers or physicians. With the support of partners that will develop these services and devices, Microsoft has committed to a platform that is free to consumers, inclusive of industry standards and trusted through robust privacy and security safeguards.

Speaking of privacy and security, I know that nothing is more important when it comes to your personal health information. The HealthVault platform is underpinned by the following clear, strong health privacy commitments:

The Microsoft HealthVault record you create is controlled by you.
You decide what goes into your HealthVault record.
You decide who can see and use your information on a case by case basis.
Microsoft does not use your health information for commercial purposes unless you are asked and you clearly tell Microsoft they may.

Rest assured, we know that transforming healthcare is an incredibly complex challenge – one which no single organization can solve alone. It will require the participation of leaders in every sector of the healthcare ecosystem if success is to be achieved. However, with Microsoft's broad customer reach, extensive software platform and broad partner community, we believe that we have the depth and breadth required to help transform the way people and providers connect with health information and services.

You can learn more about today's launch of HealthVault by clicking on this video clip with Microsoft Health Solutions Group Corporate VP, Peter Neupert and Dr. Deborah Peel, founder of the Patient Privacy Rights Foundation.

I'm pleased to announce that more than 40 other innovative organizations – from leading medical providers, health management device manufacturers, and national health agencies are embarking with us on this challenge to bring the health industry into the Internet age. We invite the rest of the health industry to join us.

Bill Crounse, MD Worldwide Health Director Microsoft Corporation