Microsoft and Kaiser Join Forces to Refine Personal Health Records.

The following article appeared a few days ago:

Kaiser, Microsoft to test PHR data exchange

Story posted: June 9, 2008 - 5:59 am EDT

Kaiser Permanente and Microsoft Corp. will test the capabilities of their personal health records to exchange data in a pilot program, the companies announced.

The organizations, which have partnered in the past, said that they hope the exchange will expand consumer access to online health management tools. Kaiser’s 156,000 employees are eligible to opt into the voluntary project, which will test the reliability of secure data exchange, according to Kaiser. “In the early stages, we’re very interested in testing industry standards,” said Anna-Lisa Silvestre, vice president of online services for the insurer, during a news conference announcing the pilot.

During the pilot the PHRs will exchange immunization records, information on allergies and medications, and demographic data under standards outlined in the standard organization Health Level 7’s Continuity of Care Document, Silvestre said. If the pilot is successful, Kaiser will open the program to its 8 million members.

More here (free registration required)

http://modernhealthcare.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080609/REG/848430230

More information (with links) is available:

Kaiser Permanente, Microsoft Launch Personal Electronic Health Records Pilot Program

[Jun 09, 2008]

Officials from Kaiser Permanente and Microsoft on Monday announced that the companies are developing a patient information exchange pilot program, Reuters/Washington Post reports (Kaufman, Reuters/Washington Post, 6/9).

Under the program, patients who use Kaiser's personal electronic health record system, My Health Manager, will be able to transfer medical data -- including prescriptions, allergies, immunization information and medical conditions -- from My Health Manager to Microsoft HealthVault accounts. Users will be able to dictate what information is transferred and will have access to their profile via the Internet (Lawton, Wall Street Journal, 6/9). Initially, the program will only be available to Kaiser's 156,000 employees (Reuters/Washington Post, 6/9).

The pilot stage will last until November. If successful, the program would then be offered to Kaiser's 8.7 million members in nine states and Washington, D.C. (Lohr, New York Times, 6/10). During the pilot stage, Kaiser will be testing the program's security to ensure it meets safety standards, according to Anna-Lisa Silvestre, Kaiser's vice president of online services (Wall Street Journal, 6/9).

More here:

http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=52619

Importantly this test program is evaluating a range in information sources that may be integrated with the Microsoft system and additionally we are told that both Google and MS are adopting standards based approaches.

“Silvestre said Kaiser also considered partnering with Google on its project but chose Microsoft in part because of its privacy protection and personal security technology. In addition, Microsoft and Kaiser are using the same Web-based format, called a Continuity of Care Document, while Google has focused its initial efforts on a Continuity of Care Record Web format. Google and Microsoft each are committed to supporting both formats, the Times reports.”

This is good news as it may lead to interoperability between PHR providers (as both are HL7 Standards I believe) in the future.

A visit to HealthVault is well worthwhile to see the various partners and approaches that MS is adopting.

Go to:

http://www.healthvault.com/

This whole space certainly has a way to go yet!

David.