Continua Alliance Adds Google, Dossia

HDM Breaking News, October 21, 2008

Google Inc. and the Dossia employer coalition have joined the Continua Health Alliance, a coalition of vendors and organizations advocating interoperable personal health systems. These systems include PHRs, home health devices, consumer health devices and health information systems.

Portland, Ore.-based Dossia is championing use of personal health records software. Wal-Mart Stores Inc., a member, is offering PHRs to employees that receive health insurance from the company. The PHRs will be populated with pertinent claims data from health plans and pharmacies. Other Dossia members will launch their PHR efforts after learning from Wal-Mart's experiences.

Mountain View, Calif.-based Google this year launched Google Health, a platform of software tools and content for consumers from multiple vendor partners.

Continua members have adopted a number of initial data standards to foster interoperability. More than a dozen members will demonstrate interoperability among certain products and services on Oct. 27 at the Partners Center for Connected Health 5th Annual Connected Health Symposium in Boston.

More information on Continua is available at continuaalliance.org. Details on the symposium are at connected-health.org.

For more information on related topics, visit the following channels:

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• Electronic Health Records
• Medication Management
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