MI to connect medical, pharmacy data statewide

While West Virginia currently is one of the only states to use computerized records for state-run hospitals and nursing homes--albeit through a VistA system--Michigan is taking that notion quite a few steps further. A partnership between the Michigan State Medical Society (MSMS) and Microsoft will make Michigan the first state where patients and doctors can connect to both medical and pharmacy information, reports Healthcare IT News.

The information will be available through Microsoft's HealthVault, which will allow access to MSMS Connect, an electronic portal for the state. MedImpact will provide the pharmacy information.

Access to the information will be at the discretion of each patient, who can choose whether they want to share data with their physicians or not. Should doctors be granted access, they will be able to view information via cloud-based technology created by Covisint, a Compuware subsidiary.

On top of being able to access medical record and pharmacy information, patients also will be able to access data from their health plans, and even from medical devices that keep track of vital statistics, such as heart rate and blood pressure.

Speaking from the doctors' perspective, Dr. Gregory Forzley, who chairs the MSMS board of directors, sees this as a way to "streamline" healthcare access.

"This puts the patient's medication history at the fingertips of the physician through a simple, secure internet connection into MSMS Connect without the need for electronic prescribing software or an electronic medical record," Forzley said.

To learn more about this partnership:
- read this Healthcare IT News article

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