Microsoft opens HealthVault in UK

Microsoft's free HealthVault service, which is already available in the US, opened on 22 June 2010 to UK users, offering specific functions for tracking blood pressure, weight, general fitness and family health, using Microsoft's MyHealthInfo. The opening, predicted by SmartHealthcare.com last month ( article ), will be followed later this year by a consumer launch, promoting the service. It represents a rival to the NHS's basic HealthSpace service – although HealthVault will not include links to NHS data for the time being. Prime minister David Cameron, while in opposition, praised the concept of personal health records including HealthVault and Google Health as an alternative to central NHS databases. HealthVault will accept data from users in a variety of ways, including from medical and fitness devices – although at launch only two pieces of equipment, a blood pressure monitor and scales from A&D Medical, were listed as compatible. Nuffield Health, which runs both private healthcare and fitness centres, is providing applications from launch. Dave Coplin, Microsoft's national technology officer in the UK, said HealthVault will act as a platform provider, and will make most of its money from licence fees paid by application providers wanting access to the system and the health records it securely holds. It will also make some money from advertising, although ads will appear at the MSN gateway to the service rather than within HealthVault. "We're expecting people like Nuffield, people who help with wellness," Coplin said, on what organisations are likely to become customers. Research for the firm suggests that 13% of Britons are interested in "wellness" – a lower figure than in other countries – and such people will be interested in an online service helping them to monitor and improve their health. They will also act to encourage others to use the online service, Microsoft hopes. Coplin said he does not expect HealthVault will deal directly with the NHS in the short term. "In the long term, who knows," he said, adding that the NHS is focused on treating the sick and those with chronic conditions, whereas HealthVault is focusing on health maintenance. Personal data will be stored in the UK, and will stay within the HealthVault system rather than being handed to application providers. Coplin said he expects that most applications will be free to use, but some specialist ones may have a cost. He said that the US version, which has been live for a couple of years, includes free applications from organisations promoting healthy living, with a heart health charity providing blood pressure applications, and the hope is to do likewise in Britain. In April 2009, David Cameron praised online health services, including Microsoft HealthVault, as a way to help people become more responsible for their own health ( article ).