Make smarter health and lifestyle decisions

Originally posted on October 1, 2009

Most of us have done it at one point or another. You notice you’re not feeling well and quickly go to Dr. World Wide Web to figure out what’s going on. If you’ve ever gone online to learn about a health condition or find a diagnosis, you’re not alone -- 83% of people online last year searched for medical-related information on the Internet (Nielsen Online).

The Internet is becoming a popular health resource, but with so much information out there, you need to be judicious about what you’re reading and what you’re taking to heart. With this in mind, today we launched the beta of My Health Info, powered by HealthVault, to give you and your family a secure way to manage your health online.

You may ask, with all of the medical-related information out there, why does the Internet need another resource? The answer is simple - the internet doesn’t have anything like this. My Health Info is the only place on the web where you can find a highly interactive experience, rich with customizable tools and services to allow you to securely upload your information, privately organize your data, and carefully monitor the various aspects of your health.

You can access My Health Info through MSN Health & Fitness and rest assured that it’s built on the Microsoft HealthVault platform, which provides a centralized, secure location for storing medical information online. And it looks cool too. You’ll notice a media rich, attractive interface that’s built with Silverlight technology. With My Health Info, you can do more and get more, securely and from trusted sources. For example:

• You can upload information from compatible personal devices such as pedometers, blood pressure monitors, or blood glucose meters. So, if you’re diabetic and need to track your glucose levels, you can plug in your compatible glucose monitor into your computer, upload your glucose levels, and track how stable your levels are from day to day.
• You can also access tools to help you track allergy symptoms or blood pressure levels, manage immunization schedules, access lab results, measure your body mass index, and more.  There’s also a tool that lets you buy compatible personal devices.
• You can ask your doctor for copies of your medical records and store them here, along with health plans and pharmacies. This way, everything you need can be easily accessed with your Windows Live ID on any computer, anywhere in the world. And because Microsoft HealthVault is backing this service, you can be satisfied that all of your records are secure.
• You can still conduct research on your health, but My Health Info removes the guesswork by guiding you to credible and reputable expert advice.  
• You can also stay informed by reading the latest in health news, such as in the case when vaccines come out or a new strain of the flu is found. There are times when health news becomes breaking news, and we want you to be the first to know so that you can protect yourself and your family.

My Health Info is just the starting point to prepare for flu season

Recently, the swine flu has become an epidemic, so we also launched a Swine Flu Information Center on MSN Health & Fitness to provide you with the information you need to stay healthy this season. We partnered with trusted health providers including Harvard, the Mayo Clinic and Health.com to help you weed through the myths and misconceptions about the swine flu and bring this fall’s flu season into focus with actionable information on facts, risks, and prevention.  

In good health,

John Russell
DIRECTOR, MSN DELISH, HEALTH & LIFESTYLE