Microsoft Seeks Healthy Relationship with Google: Health Vault INTERVIEW
Is Microsoft HealthVault bracing for a Google Health frontal assualt? NO! Welcome to the online consumer health care empowerment party, so indicates the Microsoft Health Solutions Group.
On the heels of a Microsoft strategic collaboration announcement with Mayo Clinic to together “put the patient and the consumer in control,” and with Google’s health portal ambitions looming, I asked the HealthVault team to reflect on the state of Microsoft’s consumer health care initiatives.
Below is the EXCLUSIVE Insider Chatter Q & A interview with Microsoft Health Solutions.
INSIDER CHATTER: Is the Microsoft-Mayo Health Vault agreement exclusive, or can a service such as prospective direct competitor Google Health also work with Mayo Clinic to develop online health tools?
MICROSOFT: While Microsoft and Mayo have announced that they have entered into a strategic agreement to collaboratively develop tools that will empower people to manage their health and become engaged partners with their providers in a new model of health care, this agreement is not exclusive for either Mayo or Microsoft.
INSIDER CHATTER: Google Health’s debut is rumored to be imminent, as per Google’s advisement last fall. Does Microsoft believe Health Vault has achieved a meaningful head start over Google?
MICROSOFT: Transforming healthcare is an incredibly complex challenge – one which no single organization can solve alone. As Microsoft tackles the challenge of merging healthcare with the internet, we are working with dozens of other innovative organizations. We are excited about Google and others joining this space and making their offerings Health Vault compatible. This isn’t a race with Google, it’s about Microsoft delivering on its vision and working with partners.
INSIDER CHATTER: What is the traction of Health Vault to date? What are the metrics regarding consumer searches, consumer account creation, consumer record uploads?
MICROSOFT: The focus at this time is on recruiting partners to develop services on the HealthVault platform for consumers. While we aren’t disclosing the actual number of users, we can tell you that we have a growing base of early adopters, industry partners, applications and devices.
INSIDER CHATTER: Which health organizations have partnered with Health Vault to date? What are the types of industry partnerships created?
MICROSOFT: We are currently working with dozens of partners across various categories – from leading medical providers, health management device manufacturers, and national health agencies – who are building solutions that will spur health innovation and better transform healthcare. There were 16 partners live at launch with beta implementations. These only scratch the surface of the possibilities that lie ahead that will come from partners across the health ecosystem. We anticipate there will be a wide range of partners across various categories building solutions that will spur health innovation and better transform healthcare. Below are the currently-launched partners.
Devices
• LifeScan – A Johnson & Johnson company
• Microlife Corporation
• Omron Healthcare, Inc.
• Polar
Applications
• Allscripts
• American Heart Association
• Healthy Circles LLC
• CapMed
• Kryptiq
• MEDSEEK
• MedStar Health
• Peaksware, LLC
• PureWellness
• Sound Health Solutions
• US Wellness, Inc.
• HealthMedia
GOOGLE: The consumer health care ball is in YOUR oline court!
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