Based on its recent analysis of the Health Information Systems (HIS) market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Microsoft Corporation with the 2008 Global Healthcare Information Product of the Year Award for Microsoft® HealthVault™, the company’s breakthrough consumer health application platform.

The simplicity of the solution concept corroborates the clear understanding of changing consumer need patterns, and the way in which information sharing is slated to revolutionize the future.

“HealthVault is a free web-based platform designed to put people in control of their health data. It helps them collect, store and share health information with family members and participating healthcare providers, and it provides people with a choice of third-party applications and devices to help them manage things such as fitness, diet and health,” says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Priyanka Gouthaman. “The initiative is a definitive step towards making online sharing of personal health information a mainstream activity that has the potential to improve doctor-patient relationships.”

Collecting complete and accurate medical histories from patients, themselves, is oftentimes not possible. Using HealthVault to create a repository of information that can be easily shared among the relevant parties will facilitate better service levels within the healthcare industry and dramatically reduce administrative costs.

“Microsoft’s HealthVault has a distinct early-mover advantage in the electronic records management sector, with the healthcare industry expected to witness increasing adoption rates in the space,” notes Gouthaman. “The platform is expected to gain significant industry acceptance and has already with partners and the developer community. Microsoft has more than 100 active partners developing on the HealthVault platform today and more than 6000 SDK downloads recorded to date.”

HealthVault has the unique advantage of making use of Microsoft’s advanced technological capabilities in customer-centric solutions. The value-add is immediately visible since HealthVault ensures complete control over personal health management and provides the consumer with a long term solution to improving overall wellness.

Microsoft has also developed a robust web-based health search product that improves relevance around health-specific queries. Partnered with leading organizations, the HealthVault Search provides consumers and clinicians alike direct access to a wealth of medical information and useful tools to support their daily health care management. The innovative user interface allows for easy browsing and aids the user with smart search refinements.

By putting strict privacy measures in place, Microsoft has worked to alleviate consumer concerns and improve adoption rates for the solution. Consumers have control over creating contents of the record, updating information, and granting access to such records.

Traffic on HealthVault Search is encrypted by Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security and advertising on such pages is not connected to search histories or HeathVault records. Microsoft also employs the Security Development Lifecycle which embeds privacy and security considerations through the development process.

The company’s commitment to exploring new product developments through integrated and interrelated technologies ensures a holistic approach that focuses on the end-solution value to the customer. Through HealthVault, Microsoft has made additional commitments to advancing people’s health through software innovation with the Microsoft HealthVault Be Well Fund. The $3 million dollar initiative is designed to empower providers with targeted funding to stimulate the research and development of online tools that improve health. In addition, Microsoft is providing developers and solution providers with information they need to build tools and applications that communicate with the HealthVault platform, using the languages, platforms, and frameworks of their choice.

For the visionary framework of the HealthVault concept and the dominant position it promises to garner within the healthcare information industry, Frost & Sullivan is proud to present Microsoft with the 2008 Global Healthcare Information Product of the Year Award.

Each year, Frost & Sullivan presents this Award to the company that has demonstrated excellence in new product development and launch within its industry. The recipient company has shown innovation by launching a broad line of emerging products and technologies.

Frost & Sullivan Best Practices Awards recognize companies in a variety of regional and global markets for demonstrating outstanding achievement and superior performance in areas such as leadership, technological innovation, customer service, and strategic product development. Industry analysts compare market participants and measure performance through in-depth interviews, analysis, and extensive secondary research in order to identify best practices in the industry.

About Microsoft Corporation

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

About Frost & Sullivan

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