If you need one place where you can access all your health data, then the HealthVault app may be just the thing to help you manage your vital statistics.
As Raj Thiagarajan, who leads the HealthVault International strategic business developments efforts, writes on the Microsoft in Health blog, “If we stay on top of our health status, we’re better able to make positive behavior changes that can head off problems down the road.”
He writes, “HealthVault is a trusted place for people to gather, store, use, and share health information online — whether that information is collected at home, the doctor’s office, pharmacy, gym, or anywhere in between.”
He lists four ways that he uses HealthVault to better manage his health – and that of his family’s.
1. HealthVault can be used to track health using connected devices. For example, Thiagarajan weighs himself on a Withings scale, checks his blood pressure on an Omron blood pressure monitor and uses a Fitbit pedometer. All of these devices are connected to his HealthVault account so their readings are automatically captured and he can track his progress.
2. You can also share your health information with your healthcare team. Your doctor can also see the data being collected each day, and if he or she sees anything that raises any red flags -- high blood pressure readings, for instance – he or she can suggest a visit to the office.
3. You also create an emergency profile that could help first responders. “By taking a few minutes to answer some questions when I opened my HealthVault account, I set up an emergency profile,” Thiagarajan writes. “I keep a printout in my wallet. It lists information such as my blood type and medication allergies, as well as contact information for my doctors and family.”
4. You can also help your family manage their health. “My mom who lives more than 5,000 miles away shares her HealthVault information with me, so I can keep track of her blood pressure readings on a regular basis,” Thiagarajan writes. “Or I can look at her lab results from a recent doctor visit, which helps me to be more informed about her situation and better able to help her manage her health and care decisions.”
Sounds pretty handy! It’s a free app, and you can open an account in just a few minutes. Maybe HealthVault could also be useful to your health organization. Install HealthVault from the Windows Store.
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Athima Chansanchai
Microsoft News Center Staff