MS rescues Google Health patients

For the seeming handful of people who signed up to use the soon-to-be-shuttered Google Health online medical records service, Microsoft has an answer, reports CNet.

The software giant has released a tool that lets Google Health customers transfer their personal health information to a Microsoft HealthVault account.

To protect patient privacy, the tool uses the Direct Project messaging protocols established by the office of the national coordinator for health IT that authenticate and encrypt the data, sending it only to known, trusted recipients.

According to ZDNet, Google officials had previously said the company is 'retiring' Google Health as of 1 January 2012, with data stored in its medical record system available for download through 1 January 2013.

Data not removed from Google Health by January 1 2013 will be permanently deleted. Google officials said their health offering did not catch on as the company expected.

Microsoft is continuing to invest in its cloud-based electronic medical record offering, known as HealthVault, which it unveiled in 2009. It also is holding onto its various health-focused software investments, including its Amalga integration and analysis products.

Earlier this year, Microsoft moved its Health Solutions business unit into the same unit as its Dynamics CRM and Dynamics ERP products.

However, Amednews reveals that it is unknown how many accounts were opened on Google Health. But experts say the news probably will have little impact on the overall market, simply because so few used Google's personal health records.