Mayo Clinic Launches No-Cost Personal Health Record Web Site Using Microsoft's HealthVault

Main Category: IT / Internet / E-mail
Article Date: 22 Apr 2009 - 6:00 PDT

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The Mayo Clinic on Tuesday will launch a no-cost Web site that will allow users to create personal health records using Microsoft technology, the AP/Albany Times Union reports. The Web site, called the Mayo Clinic Health Manager, uses Microsoft's HealthVault system to store PHR information for anyone who wishes to use it, not just Mayo Clinic patients (Mintz, AP/Albany Times Union, 4/21).

According to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, most PHR sites, including Google Health and Revolution Health, act only as a repository for health information. However, the clinic's site will provide customized information for users, such as checkup reminders (Yee, Minneapolis Star Tribune, 4/20). In addition, after a series of initial questions about age, gender and users' family medical history and current and previous health issues, the site recommends certain screenings or suggests articles for users to read. The site also allows users to store contact information for physicians, pharmacies and health insurers and provides reminders about upcoming appointments. However, because of privacy reasons, the site does not send e-mail reminders. A user must log on to the site to receive the reminders about appointments and other issues.

Sidna Tulledge-Scheitel, an internist and medical director of global products and services at the Mayo Clinic, said she hopes the site will help people better manage their chronic conditions (AP/Albany Times Union, 4/21). Tulledge-Scheitel said, "The more you enter, the more personalized the health care reminders and guidance there will be for each family member." According to Chris Bevolo, owner of Interval, a Minneapolis health care marketing firm, the Mayo Clinic could have an advantage over its competitors because consumers could see the site as a way to receive health advice from renowned medical leaders instead of just as a storage place for health records (Minneapolis Star Tribune, 4/20).

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