HealthPartners connects to Microsoft HealthVault

Allows members to store their HealthPartners information in HealthVault

BLOOMINGTON, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--At the Microsoft Connected Health Conference, HealthPartners announced that members can now transfer information from their HealthPartners account directly to Microsoft HealthVault. Members will be able to permanently access their health information and share it free of charge, even if they change jobs, health plans or doctors.

“This is an enhancement to our healthpartners.com strategy to make it easier to access information”

“This is an enhancement to our healthpartners.com strategy to make it easier to access information,” said Andrea Walsh, HealthPartners executive vice president and chief marketing officer. Currently, about 1.2 million members have the ability to transfer information from their account to HealthVault. Initially, members will be able to transfer their HealthPartners explanation of benefits. Later this year, 450,000 members will be able to transfer additional health-related information to their HealthVault account, including: benefits and co-pays, lab results, immunizations, allergy and medication lists, health and wellness information such as results from HealthPartners health assessments, and other information stored in HealthPartners Clinics and Regions Hospital electronic medical records. To transfer information, members can access HealthVault from www.healthpartners.com.

“HealthPartners continues to push the online movement enabling consumers to better access and manage their health information,” said David Cerino, general manager of the Consumer Health Solutions Group at Microsoft. “By allowing consumers to connect their health and wellness data digitally and share it securely, they are able to make better choices to improve their health and the health of their families.”

HealthVault is an open platform designed to put people in control of their health information. HealthVault enables the exchange of data among different health solutions – giving people easy access to and more control over their health information. People can use HealthVault to store copies of their health records obtained from their providers, plans, pharmacies, government, or employers; upload information from health and fitness devices; share information with healthcare providers and trainers; and access products and services.

“Giving consumers access to, and control of their personal health information is essential to managing costs and improving health," said Carolyn Pare, president and CEO of The Buyers Health Care Action Group. "HealthPartners has been an advocate and leader in industry efforts to introduce a universal health records platform, and we're pleased that they are one of the first organizations to introduce this to their members and patients.”

“We’re pleased that HealthPartners is one of the first in the state to join this effort which will simplify information for consumers and improve quality and reduce costs by eliminating duplication and making information quickly available to any doctor or hospital not just in the state but in the world,” said Nathan Moracco, director, Employee Insurance Division, Minnesota Management & Budget.

About HealthPartners

Founded in 1957, the HealthPartners (www.healthpartners.com) family of healthcare companies serves 1.25 million medical and dental health plan members nationwide. For the fourth year in a row, HealthPartners is rated one of the best commercial health plans in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, NCQA’s “America’s Best Health Plans 2008.”