Comments on: Microsoft plans medical-record service

HealthVault is just getting off the ground: Will consumers trust the company with private info?

[ColdMast]

trust an illegal monopoly?

why would anyone have trouble with that?

it is not like they can access our computers without our knowledge to do a little updating...

I'm sure lots of other marketing companies would love to "hold on" to personal medical data. However, I don't imagine Microsoft abusing their customers rights to privacy...

[MaLvaDo39]

Microsoft =/= security

Hahaha, trusting Microsoft to any information is laughable.

With their environment, you would be hacked and lose data within
minutes.

[i,Jimbot]

Late to the game...again.

Following their usual MO, Microsoft is coming to the game late with
no new ideas. They've done this before with Windows, IE and other
Internet apps, Zune, etc. They bring no new ideas and no track
record that should make us believe that they can somehow make
things better. Meantime, the healthcare industry has been working
for years to improve and standardize the health record. There's a
lot more to it than simply coming in and claiming you are going to
show everyone how to organize data. There's an answer out there,
but it's not going to be provided by Microsoft.

[Stating]

Who'd Be Dumb Enough To Use This

Given Microsoft's track record on security, who besides Paris Hilton would be dumb enough to use this service?

[Microsoft_Facts]

I work in healthcare, and...

Supporting IT systems for a living, 90% of my clients are health care providers. Within this group Microsoft is trusted less than the government in regards to health care issues.

[karlengblom]

they deserve a chance

I'm not surprised you work in healthcare IT. One of the hurdles that Microsoft will have to deal with is a barrage of FUD from competitors who are seeing their livelihoods threatened.

Healthcare IT is much more expensive and less developed than it should be, simply because everyone assumes that since it's healthcare, everything needs to be in a class of its own in terms of security, privacy, etc. This view of thinking satisfies both doctor's egos and the bank accounts of IT providers.

An effect of the unrealistic requirements and FUD is that computerization is way behind other industries, causing an unknown number of people to suffer or die. We all know someone who has suffered unnecessarily because healthcare providers can't (or won't) share information.

That said, MS certainly has a lot to prove. But they deserve a chance.

[Microsoft_Facts]

Keeping info out of this database

If MS truly cared about anyone's privacy, they would offer a way to 'opt out' preventing any of my personal info from ever being stored on an insecure Microsoft platform.

[ChrisatCNET]

Give me an example

Can you actually provide an example where Microsoft has abused personal data. And an example where trusted personal data has been released?

[bknight22]

I would love to see Microsoft put its muscle behind an opt-in, HIPAA compliant, patient managed medical records system. A good personal medical records system could help a lot of people.