Microsoft and Kaiser Permanente Partner to Share Data
An article published by Health Imaging described the partnership between Kaiser Permanente and Microsoft. The two organizations plan to share the information contained in each of their e-health systems. The intent of information sharing is to increase the ongoing effort by Microsoft to create a central repository available on line that contains patient health records.
The initial effort entails a pilot project that is being tested with Kaiser’s existing 156,000 employees. The system will share the information available between the systems. Data will be traded between the HealthVault PHR (patient health record) program from Microsoft and Kaiser’s My Health Manager PHR.
The effects of the effort will be assessed in November. Other pilot efforts are being completed by Microsoft in cooperation with the Mayo Clinic and Presbyterian Hospital in New York to assess HealthVault.
HealthVault was initially released by Microsoft last October. Executives expect that the system will go into full production by the end of 2008. The system is recognized as a means by which healthcare consumers (patients) can access the entire healthcare enterprise.
One of the long-term goals for HealthVault is to expand the system so that third-party companies can create systems which can be linked to HealthVault. Examples include health, fitness, and wellness programs for those individuals who have health records stored in the system.
June 11, 2008 Related topics: Trends, Partnerships & Consortia, IT & software