Improved online access to health information to encourage adoption of

                          personal health records.



    REDMOND, Wash., July 24 /EMWNews/ -- Microsoft Corp. today

announced a strategic collaboration with RelayHealth, McKesson Corp.'s

connectivity business, to accelerate and improve the relationship between

doctors and patients. Together, Microsoft HealthVault and RelayHealth will

enable affordable patient connectivity with doctors' offices and hospitals

so patients can have security-enhanced, easy online access to medical care,

information and records.



    



    HealthVault will provide physicians using RelayHealth's Software as a

Service (SaaS) platform with the technology to facilitate enhanced online

patient service and communications. Physicians can easily employ the

RelayHealth service, which includes electronic prescribing, through a Web

browser as the initial step toward clinical automation of their practice.

The service is also designed to integrate with electronic medical record

systems already in use. For patients, the combined solution allows access

to their personal health information and an online interaction with their

personal physician.



    "Until now, the ability for consumers to access and share appropriate

health information online has not been possible, and as a result, personal

health records (PHRs) have not been broadly adopted or consistently used,"

said Pamela Pure, president of McKesson Technology Solutions. "Our

relationship with Microsoft can change that. HealthVault offers consumers a

convenient and accessible way to store and manage their healthcare and

wellness data in one central place. The RelayHealth network then connects

the consumer's portfolio of information with the care provider and unifies

the management of the personal health record."



    Pure added that RelayHealth's security-enhanced network makes it easy

for physicians to review clinical data and share appropriate information

with their patients or other clinicians efficiently.



    "This new relationship enables us to connect the personal health record

to the care process so the information can be better utilized," Pure said.



    RelayHealth's core services enable patients to schedule healthcare

appointments online, request prescription refills, pay bills, obtain

results and even visit their doctor online using security-enhanced

webVisit(R) consultations for non-urgent care. HealthVault is a consumer

health platform that allows people to collect, store and share health

information with family members and participating healthcare providers.



    "Together, Microsoft and RelayHealth will make it easier for consumers

and doctors to exchange information that is a part of our everyday lives,

such as ordering and filling prescriptions, receiving lab results and other

important exchanges that impact our health and well-being," said Peter

Neupert, corporate vice president of the Health Solutions Group at

Microsoft. "Using the Internet to better connect patients and providers is

a big step toward engaging people in their health decisions and ultimately

improving the quality of patient care."



    Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) is the worldwide leader in

software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize

their full potential.