DoD launches personal health record with Microsoft, Google

Well, the personal health record (PHR) has officially become mainstream when the U.S. Department of Defense embraces it. The DoD, which apparently had its own PHR in place previously, is leveraging both Microsoft HealthVault and Google Health PHRs to build a new prototype PHR. 

The new PHR, known as MiCare, will be rolled out initially at Madigan Army Medical Center in Tacoma, WA. The goal for the PHR is to help soldiers and their families manage their health regardless of where they're stationed, and even when they move outside of the military system.

The data will be protected under the Markle Foundation's "Connecting for Health" guidelines, which give the patient control over who gets to see the data and what part of it they see as well.

The long term goal of the project is to develop the PHR into a "patient-centric health record," blending electronic medical record functions with patient-controlled data.

To learn more about the project:
- read this DoD press release [1]

Related Articles:
Key players agree on PHR framework [2]
AHIMA demands better PHR privacy protections [3]
Addressing ID verification could spur PHR adoption [4]
Promoting PHR use: Is it a good idea? [5]