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Microsoft Health vs.Google Health
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Follow the money: Microsoft plans to make money by placing ads next to HealthVault search results. As with any search, some are text ads generated by keywords. Some are interactive ads promoting HeathVault-compatible devices or services. Some offer related books and products from Amazon. Anyone can use the HealthVault search, but if you want to save your results privately (a nice feature), you'll need to sign up for a free HealthVault account.
Next steps: At the conference, a company called Kryptiq showed off a HealthVault-compatible service that lets you communicate securely with a doctor and share the contents of your vault. Several health coaching services that link to HealthVault are in the pipeline.
Curious observation: HealthVault's search results are sometimes riddled with information from interested sources (supplement makers!?!) and below-gold-standard publishers. Do I really need a tailored, secure search to find a Wikipedia article on arthritis?
Google Health
Unveiled: February 2008.
The story so far: The first live-action test of Google's PHR is a pilot project with Cleveland Clinic launched last month and expected to run six to eight weeks. Screen shots of the service suggest people can create their own PHRs via simple forms with check boxes and pull-down menus. Like Microsoft, Google plans to offer the ability to automatically pull in data (for example, X-rays and readouts from a pedometer) from devices, services and health-care providers. Google is encouraging use of open technology standards that will let the health world's many different information systems talk to each other easily.
Follow the money: Google doesn't rule out the possibility of selling ads alongside search results or other Google Health services but says it has no current plans to do so.
Next steps: After the Cleveland Clinic pilot, Google says it will digest what it has learned and move toward launch. No date is set.
Curious observation: So why would Google take on such a big, difficult project -- creating complex data exchange systems and storing all that personal information -- if there's no way to make money? Data show more than 70 percent of people seeking health-care information turn first to Google. A strong personal health dashboard linked to other Google services, including its cash-cow search business, can make sure those health-seekers stay with Google rather than with the competition. Like Microsoft, for instance.
