These “personal health records” contain the same types of information that Social Security generally obtains from people applying for disability benefits, according to the announcement by Social Security that it has agreed with Microsoft to test the use of HealthVault.

“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,” said Michael J. Astrue, Commissioner of Social Security.

“Combined with other advancements in health information technology, our use of HealthVault should result in faster decisions for disability applicants.  I look forward to working closely with Microsoft, a world-wide leader in information technology,” he added.

Social Security and Microsoft are developing a technical prototype connecting the two organizations that will be available later this year.  The agency also will collaborate with Microsoft to study current personal health record standards, gaps in those standards, and options for filling those gaps.

Social Security claims to be a recognized leader in the use of health information technology. 

The agency points out It is the first government agency to use the Nationwide Health Information Network (NHIN), a safe and  secure method for receiving instantaneous access to electronic medical records.  The NHIN is an initiative of the Department of Health and Human Services and is supported by multiple government agencies and private sector entities.

About HealthVault (Microsoft)

HealthVault is an online storage place for your health information. It can store many different types of information, such as:

   ● Hospital and doctor visit records

   ● Immunization records

   ● Data from health and fitness devices you can connect to your computer

   ● Exercise statistics

One HealthVault account can contain the health records for many people. For example, you could have health records for yourself, your spouse, each of your children, elderly relatives whose care you manage, and even your pets.

You can share some or all of the information contained in a health record. For example:

   ● If your spouse/partner also has a HealthVault account, you can share management of the family's health records.

   ● You can give your personal trainer access to just your exercise logs.

   ● You can allow your hospital to upload discharge instructions, or your pediatrician to access and update immunization records.

Keep in mind that the information in your account may not always be accurate or up-to-date and isn't meant to be used directly by healthcare providers for diagnosis or treatment. Information should always be evaluated and re-confirmed based on independent judgment.

With HealthVault, your health information is in one place that you control. Microsoft has consulted privacy advocates, security experts, and dozens of the world's leading healthcare organizations to build HealthVault. Its core principle is that you should control your own health records and have access to online health management tools that you trust.

Programs that Work with HealthVault

One of the main ways that health information is added to HealthVault is through programs that users authorize to access their account. Programs may perform specific tasks, such as logging and graphing exercise statistics from your HealthVault record. Users control whether programs can view information in each health record, and whether or not programs can add or change data.

As a HealthVault user, you should carefully read the information and the privacy statement each program provides and decide whether to give them permission to access records in your account. Make sure you are comfortable with the kinds of information they ask to access and what they'll do with it. You'll find a directory of programs that work with HealthVault at HealthVault.com.

When you sign in to your HealthVault account, you can view the information stored in your health records, see the history of who has accessed the data and what has been changed, share health information with other people or with programs, and update your account information.

Most of your interaction with the data in your HealthVault records will be through programs. As more programs are added to the HealthVault ecosystem over time, you'll be able to store more types of information and access the information in increasingly useful ways.

The Programs Directory on HealthVault.com lists many Web-based programs that provide health-related services. One program might, for example, chart your blood pressure readings, alert you when specific readings require attention, and give you information to help you manage your blood pressure. Another program could display a list of your current medications (with links to Web articles that provide more information about the medication) and enable your doctor to update the list online.