The Social Security Administration has entered into an agreement to test the use of the Microsoft HealthVault software for SSA's disability determination process.
SSA has been trying out several ways to collect electronically the health records of people applying for disability income. SSA currently requests about 15 million to 20 million medical records a year in a process that is labor- and paper-intensive.
HealthVault is a free online personal health record service in which patients are encouraged to collect and store their health information in a single location.
The SSA said Aug. 27 that it and Microsoft are developing a technical prototype connecting the two organizations that will be available later this year. SSA also will collaborate with Microsoft to study current personal health record standards, gaps in those standards, and options for filling those gaps.
“The use of personal health records holds great promise for ensuring that the medical information we collect from someone applying for disability benefits is accurate and complete,” SSA Commissioner Michael Astrue said in a news release.
From: "SSA testing Microsoft HealthVault -- Federal Computer Week"
Wow. Wonder if this deployment of HealthVault would make Microsoft HealthVault liable under HIPAA rules or the new FTC rules in the event of a breach?
Very shrewd move by the MS team...
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