Aetna, Microsoft's HealthVault offer new service - WSJ

Oct 22 (Reuters) - A partnership between health insurer Aetna Inc (AET.N) and software maker Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) will allow patients covered by the insurer to transfer medical records to Microsoft health platform HealthVault, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Starting next month, people enrolled in Aetna's plans will be able to move information from their Aetna "personal health record" -- an online repository of data that includes claims, diagnoses, test results and prescriptions -- to HealthVault, the paper said.

Patients can pick and choose what they would like to transfer between Aetna's and Microsoft's sites, the Journal said.

To begin with, the program will be available to around 6 million people who have Aetna's personal health record, the paper said, adding that it will be made available to more Aetna customers next year. Aetna has 17 million members.

Calls to Aetna and Microsoft seeking comment were not immediately returned. (Reporting by Shradhha Sharma in Bangalore; Editing by Rupert Winchester)