Google, Microsoft take leap into health care

Michelle Hicks

Over the last year, Americans watched the health care debate and increased their understanding of the country’s health care issues. One piece of the complex health care puzzle is how to empower Americans to be better health care consumers. Employers are spending a fortune on health care and wellness programs because, in the long run, health care literacy is expected to help curb growing costs.

As Americans are becoming more savvy, they’re also needing more tools to help them make informed decisions. And now, several companies are developing applications and websites to help individuals keep track of everything from biometric screening results to when they need to get their next tetanus shot.

Both Google and Microsoft are investing billions of dollars on health record websites. Google Health offers features to help manage your health history online, as you would track other documents using Google Docs. And, you can access the data from anywhere in the world. Microsoft’s HealthVault offers many of the same features and allows you to give direct access to your medical records to family members if you choose.

This week, Buck Consultants made health records mobile with its release of the Benefits Genie iPhone application. With the Genie, consumers can access their health records in the palm of their hands. And, it provides a place to enter benefit co-pay information and deductibles, so they can be more aware of their insurance plan and how it works when they need it.

If you find yourself in trouble away from home, all three options provide a secure place to store your critical health information in a way that can be accessible from nearly anywhere in the world.

A survey released this fall by Pricewaterhouse Coopers found 3 in 10 Americans said they would use their cell or smart phone to track or monitor their personal health. And, in the same study, doctors say they absolutely embrace this idea. As many as 88 percent of physicians said they would like their patients to be able to track and/or monitor their health at home, particularly their weight, blood sugar levels and vital signs. Physicians believe such devices will enable them to interact more directly and often with patients.

Zogby International, on the other hand, has conducted studies that show Americans are still a little bit nervous about electronic medical records. Zogby’s survey was conducted on behalf of the non-profit Patient Privacy Rights group. It found 97 percent of the 2,000 respondents said their consent should be required before doctors, hospitals, labs and health technology systems share their information with any party, including insurance companies.

All this new technology may help businesses that offer their workforce insurance become more empowered so that employees and their families take more responsibility for their health. But it is still too early to tell if Americans will embrace these new tools.

Michelle Hicks is a communications consultant with Buck Consultants. Contact her at michelle.hicks@buckconsultants.com.

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One Response to “Google, Microsoft take leap into health care”

1. Unlocked Blackberry Says:
   March 28th, 2011 at 12:48 pm

   Thansk for posting this. I found it pretty helpful. I will be checking back soon for updates.