In one of a string of related deals with high-profile healthcare players, Microsoft is partnering with the Mayo Clinic to develop consumer health management tools based on its HealthVault connectivity platform. The Mayo Clinic Health Solutions division of the group practice will work with the Microsoft to develop applications to run on HealthVault, a platform dubbed a PHR by many, though not by Microsoft itself.
At its October 4 launch last year, Microsoft already claimed about 40 HealthVault partners, and more than 200 companies have agreed to to use the technology. However, observers say that the strategic co-development relationship between Mayo and MS is more extensive than many of the other partnerships. I'm interested to see whether this (and some other technology development deals Mayo seems to be brewing up, such as the recent one with IBM [1]) are a sign that Mayo wants to become a software powerhouse in its own right.
To learn more about the deal:
- read this piece [2] from Digital HealthCare & Productivity
Related Articles:
Microsoft kicks off PHR initiative. Report [3]
Microsoft steps up focus on healthcare IT. Report [4]
Links:
[1] http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/ibm-mayo-clinic-partner-imaging-research/2008-01-14
[2] http://www.health-itworld.com/newsletters/2008/01/29/healthvault
[3] http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/microsoft-kicks-phr-initiative/2007-10-08
[4] http://www.fiercehealthit.com/story/microsoft-steps-up-focus-on-healthcare-it/2006-07-31