Aetna first insurer to team with HealthVault

Aetna has announced plans to become the first health insurer to give its customers access to Microsoft HealthVault, an online database for personal health records (Source: “Aetna to offer records in Microsoft HealthVault,” Dayton Daily News/Associated Press, Oct. 22, 2008).

Aetna customers will be able to begin transferring their electronic records to HealthVault starting next month. Once records are added to the database, patients will have unlimited access to claims information and any clinical data or past medical records that the patient has decided to add.

Aetna officials say the company also will benefit from gaining access to the database.

"We can avoid duplicate testing, we can avoid mistakes that occur as a result of not understanding the member's complete condition," said Aetna President Mark Bertolini. "Because we don't have a national health information technology network, this will stand as a first-generation of that kind of capability."