Microsoft HealthVault is adding a new partner and if you are familiar with Google Health, you may have already seen their interface that can be used.
The HealthVault connection will be available later this year. You will need to set up an online account with Walgreens to do this, like the rest of the pharmacies that offer the same capability. This is pretty amazing information all populated and ported in for you. I helped one individual get stated and we had 10 years of prescription records, all populated and in a useable format. With a PHR, of course, you can
share this information with your doctor, so I can’t think of any MD that would not appreciate a list to see what is current and what medications you have taken in the past. This is what the format looks like with Google.
Other recent announcements include the American Cancer Society using HealthVault with the “Circle of Sharing” program, using HealthVault as well.
Reader Comment: American Cancer Society Circle of Sharing Tool Is a Good Thing
One other item worth a quick mention too are the medical devices that report data. HealthVault has quite a few already listed and more appear to be coming, including the self serve blood pressure kiosks, where you can sit down and have your information sent to the HealthVault too. Scales, glucose monitors, blood pressure reading results can be all focused in one location. Here’s a link below to a cross country truck driver using HealthVault to take his readings even while on the road. Plug in the USB cord and upload the readings, simple. There’s an entire section here on the blog with PHR, personal health record information relative to both Google Health and HealthVault for more information and how to get started. BD
Cross Country Truck Driver using Microsoft HeatlhVault to send blood pressure readings to his doctor
Press Release:
Walgreens has reached an agreement with Microsoft to provide pharmacy patients access to their personal prescription history through Microsoft® HealthVault™, a Web-based platform that helps people gather, store and share health information.
In addition to prescription information, people can use HealthVault to store copies of their health records obtained from their other providers, insurance plans, government or employers; upload information from health and fitness devices; and share information with health care providers and trainers. Connecting Walgreens.com with HealthVault will offer patients a simple way to track their medications and share that vital information with health care providers, who can help patients get the most benefit from their drug therapy. 
Registered Walgreens.com users are already able to access their complete prescription history for convenient refills, tax purposes or personal use.
Patients who enroll in this new service will be able to securely add their Walgreens prescription history to HealthVault, and the information will be automatically updated daily. Users will then be able to share their most up-to-date health information with their providers.
Walgreens participation in HealthVault is due to begin later this year.
"While many patients are already using Walgreens online pharmacy to access their prescription history, they don't always provide that information to their doctors,” said Don Huonker, Walgreens senior vice president of health care innovation. “This service will make it easier for patients to share their information with multiple health care providers and even their caretakers, who can also be granted access to a patient’s account with their permission.”
Offering health care providers access to complete medication history can help improve overall health outcomes through more coordinated care, Huonker said.
HealthVault will also allow parents to track their children’s medical history as well as older relatives whom they may be caring for.
“Through our cooperative efforts, we will enable consumers to make informed choices regarding their health and the health of their families by putting them in control of their health information,” said David Cerino, general manager of consumer health for Microsoft Health Solutions Group. “Providing consumers with the tools to track and share their prescription histories is critical to delivering on the promise of connecting and improving health care.”
Walgreens has a long history of pharmacy technology innovation. In the early 1980s, the company was the first retail pharmacy chain to computerize all of its pharmacies nationwide and link them via satellite. In 1992, Walgreens invented the electronic prescription, which is seen today as one of the leading ways to enhance pharmacy safety and lower prescription costs. More recently, Walgreens was the first pharmacy to fully integrate its online pharmacy with its retail pharmacies and was the first to offer prescription label directions and patient consultation in 14 different languages.
“All of these initiatives, including our HealthVault agreement, are aimed at improving patient care and lowering health care costs,” Huonker said.
About Walgreens
Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2008 sales of $59 billion. The company operates 6,783 drugstores in 49 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Walgreens provides the most convenient access to consumer goods and services and cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services in America through its retail drugstores, Walgreens Health Services division and Walgreens Health and Wellness division. Walgreens Health Services assists pharmacy patients and prescription drug and medical plans through Walgreens Health Initiatives Inc. (a pharmacy benefit manager), Walgreens Mail Service Inc., Walgreens Home Care Inc., Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy LLC and SeniorMed LLC (a pharmacy provider to long-term care facilities). Walgreens Health and Wellness division includes Take Care Health Systems, the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 715 locations throughout the country.
About Microsoft HealthVault
Microsoft HealthVault, launched in October 2007, is a personal health application platform designed to put consumers in control of their health information. HealthVault provides a security-enhanced foundation on which a broad ecosystem of providers can build innovative health and wellness solutions such as personal health records, disease management, fitness, weight loss and other Web applications. HealthVault can be used to collect and store health information that would otherwise reside in disparate systems and transfer the information between a variety of providers’ health services and systems. It enables the reuse and free flow of interoperable and transportable personal health information. For more information, visit www.HealthVault.com.
* All product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
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