How to Manage Medical Information With HealthVault

Having your medical information from doctors' offices and hospitals is very important, especially if one needs to refer to in order to get approved for a surgery or even let other medical professionals know their medical history. Aside from those issues, though, it's also important to manage your own medical information simply to have it stored in a safe place. This is the main goal of Microsoft's HealthVault: to let everyone store and manage their own medical information and files, and to have them in one, safe place.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Any health documents that are on your hard drive
• Medical devices that can be hooked up to your computer
• Any health records obtained from doctors' offices

1. Sign up for a new HealthVault account by typing in the required information, such as your full name, email address, zip code and birth date, and clicking on the "Create Account" button.

2. Add some of your existing health records that you may have stored on your computer's hard drive by clicking on the "Documents" tab in the HealthVault program and uploading them to the website. Your health records may include surgery history, family health history documents, and even scanned images or x-rays you may have received from your physician.

3. Choose an online health management program to use with Microsoft HealthVault by selecting the Programs tab and registering with one of the companies and programs listed. Some examples of online health management programs and utilities that can be used include programs that will help you track your weight loss goals, behavioral and lifestyle changes, blood pressure readings, family medical history, as well as prescription medications.

4. Download the Microsoft HealthVault Connection Center software by selecting it from the list of Programs you were able to view in Step 3. This HealthVault Connection Center software will automatically transfer information from blood pressure monitors, heart rate devices and monitors, Spirometers, and other devices if they can be connected to the computer.

5. Share any or all of your medical and health information with anyone that you choose, such as spouses and family members, by selecting the Sharing tab and clicking on the invitation button in the top right corner of the screen.

6. Complete the required information about the person you are sharing your information with, and choose what level of access you will grant them. Individuals can grant "viewing" only access to other people or they can allow others to be able to modify any or all of the health information in the patient's health record as well.

7. Log in to the Microsoft HealthVault website on a regular basis to add new information, such as eating habits, diet schedules, blood pressure and heart rate readings, and other information that you want to add. Make sure your medical information is correct by reviewing all the information each time you log in.

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