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My friend and fellow Iowa blogger Zane Safrit today points out two articles about Microsoft’s recent move into the healthcare arena.

First off Steve Ballmer (CEO of M$) announced the acquisition of Medstory, Inc. - a California startup that built an ‘intelligent search engine for health & medicine’.

Ballmer also spoke about Microsoft’s (wait for this great M$ branded name) Connected Health Framework Architecture and Design Blueprint.

These are guidelines developed by Microsoft for a foundation of ‘knowledge-driven health’. From their site:

The Healthcare industry’s broad scale and information-intensive nature make information technology (IT) in this area an important issue for the public and private sector alike. “E-Health”—technology-enabled healthcare—has the potential to improve health services delivery at all levels.

To see that potential fulfilled, Microsoft developed a guideline for e-Health software solutions called “The Connected Health Framework Architecture and Design Blueprint.” A system implemented according to Microsoft’s guidelines would employ a common architecture—based on industry best practices and modern design techniques—to link patients, healthcare professionals, application developers, independent software providers (ISVs), and government agencies.

Microsoft obviously recognizes a significant market in the healthcare industry and they are the best positioned software company to take the industry. Good Morning Silicon Valley noted an interesting fact that Microsoft employed six health care focused staff members in 2000 and now its Health Solutions group has more than 600 employees.

Tags: Microsoft, Health Care, Medstory, Acquisition

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