IBM teams up with Google on health software

Thu Feb 05 10:05:18 UTC 2009
(Reuters) - IBM is teaming up with Google Inc on a new software to move data from remote personal medical devices into Google Health and other personal health records (PHRs).

Patients will be able to exchange vital health information with their doctors and other health services professionals more easily, and in real-time, by using the IBM software.

"Once stored in a PHR, the data can also be shared with physicians and other members of the extended care network at a user's discretion," IBM said in a statement.

Google Health, which was officially launched in May 2008, allows users to store, manage, and share their medical records and personal health information securely online. "Our partnership with IBM will help both providers and users gain access to their device data in a highly simplified and automated fashion," Sameer Samat, director for Google Health, said in a statement. IBM, which competes with the likes of Hewlett-Packard Co, Microsoft Corp and Oracle Corp, developed the software based on guidelines from Continua Health Alliance, an organization dedicated to enabling interoperable personal healthcare products and solutions.

(Reporting by Bhaswati Mukhopadhyay in Bangalore)

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