Microsoft’s HealthVault has announced a collaboration deal with communications giant AT&T and computer platform service provider Covisint that will allow patients to share medical information with participating doctors via the Internet.
Through the initiative, AT&T will provide broadband access and a dashboard for physicians to access the healthcare information, while Covisint will provide the underlying software that vets the patient info. Microsoft’s HealthVault acts as the online storage system for the patient data.
A news release from the three companies did not indicate how many doctors would initially participate in the program.
The new computer exchange platform will also offer insights on constructing national, state and local health-information exchanges, officials for the companies said, and will provide services such as e-prescribing, clinical messaging and sharing of images such as X-rays, MRIs and CT scans.
Earlier this month, Microsoft announced plans to collaborate with the nation’s largest nonprofit health maintenance organization Kaiser Permanente in a pilot project open to Kaiser’s 156,000 employees, which will run until November.
If the pilot proves successful, a product linking Kaiser patient information with Microsoft’s Health Vault would be offered to Kaiser’s members.
Both Microsoft and Google, which offer platforms for electronic health record storage, have previously announced collaborative projects with health providers.
Microsoft’s partners have included the Mayo Clinic and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. Google’s partnerships have involved the Cleveland Clinic and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.
