Microsoft HealthVault Be Well Fund Increased to $4.5 Million

Distinguished panel of judges to select winning online health applications.

REDMOND, Wash. — Microsoft Corp. has increased award funding from $3 million to $4.5 million after receiving nearly 200 proposals from leading academic and research health organizations across the United States.

Proposals represent a wide range of innovative online solutions designed to address significant health issues including childhood obesity, medication reconciliation, mobile health information gathering and dissemination, and diabetes management, as well as to help people manage their health more effectively. Strong interest and participation in the request for proposals (RFP) has made it one of the most successful Microsoft Research RFPs in the company’s history.

A distinguished panel of judges, representing leaders from across the health field, will determine the recipients of awards from the Microsoft HealthVault Be Well Fund. The judging panel consists of the following people:
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Adam Bosworth, CEO, Keas Inc.
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Newt Gingrich, former speaker of the House of Representatives; founder, Center for Health Transformation
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Mark Liponis, M.D., corporate medical director, Canyon Ranch
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Valerie Montgomery Rice, M.D., senior vice president for Health Affairs and dean, School of Medicine; professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Meharry Medical College
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Leslie Norwalk, former acting administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services; strategic advisor, Epstein Becker & Green P.C.
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Marc Pierson, M.D., regional vice president, Clinical Information and Special Projects, and regional vice president of Medical Affairs, PeaceHealth
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Brent Ridge, M.D., vice president, Healthy Living, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc.

Recipients will be announced at the second annual Microsoft HealthVault Solutions Conference, taking place June 9–10 in Bellevue, Wash.

“We are at the beginning of a long journey to bring healthcare into the Internet Age — and no one company can do this alone,” said Peter Neupert, corporate vice president of the Health Solutions Group at Microsoft. “We created the HealthVault Be Well Fund to stimulate invention by health champions who believe in the use of information technology to improve health and patient outcomes. We are delighted with the response and have increased the funding to help more organizations move faster to turn ideas into real online health solutions.”

The Microsoft HealthVault Be Well Fund has been designed to stimulate not-for-profit research and development across a broad range of health disciplines that have the potential to significantly improve health and outcomes for patients. The Be Well Fund will help seed innovative avenues of research and explore the potential for disruptive improvements to health management enabled by reuse and sharing of data between people, families, caregivers, doctors and facilities. The HealthVault Be Well Fund was announced at the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) 2008 Annual Conference & Exhibition in February 2008.

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

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Microsoft HealthVault Be Well Fund Judging Panel

Quote Sheet

May 2008

“We are finally seeing the beginning of a revolution in healthcare, which will finally be centered around health, not sickness, and will be focused on letting consumers take responsibility for their own health. This revolution is going to be built around true innovations being delivered directly to consumers who own and control their health data electronically, and the Be Well Fund is helping to foster that innovation and make it real for consumers.”

—Adam Bosworth

CEO

Keas Inc.

“Saving lives is the goal of all healthcare professionals, and I believe that a patient’s knowledge of his or her own health status is critical to that goal. Microsoft brings leadership through the Be Well Fund, as well as expertise and institutional weight to the goal of having every American control their own health records.”

—The Honorable Newt Gingrich

Former Speaker of the House

Founder, Center for Health Transformation

“The more information patients have access to and can share with all their care providers, the better care they will receive. Period. Technologies that give patients and providers a better way to interact and work together outside the traditional clinic setting will result in healthier lifestyles and longer, more productive lives.”

—Mark Liponis, M.D.

Corporate Medical Director

Canyon Ranch

“The tools we hope to enhance and create through Microsoft’s Be Well Fund will help people use their medical records, health data and doctor’s advice to make more informed, and therefore better, decisions for themselves and their families.”

—Valerie Montgomery Rice, M.D.

Senior Vice President for Health Affairs and Dean, School of Medicine; Professor, Obstetrics and Gynecology

Meharry Medical College

“Technology is a critical component in achieving the future of higher-quality healthcare and lower costs for all.”

—Leslie Norwalk

Former Acting Administrator, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services

Strategic Advisor, Epstein Becker & Green, P.C.

“Microsoft is in effect inviting all of us to work together to help our patients and our communities. Together we can go far. Separately, we have the current situation. There is nothing out there as exciting as Microsoft HealthVault. The potential to make lasting improvements in people’s lives and health is enormous.”

—Marc Pierson, M.D.

Regional Vice President, Clinical Information and Special Projects, and Regional Vice President of Medical Affairs

PeaceHealth

“Our readers care deeply about healthcare and healthy lifestyles. Tools that make it easier for consumers to make better decisions based on their own health data will be met with open arms. We have seen over and over how the Internet has the power to change and improve people’s lives. Microsoft’s Be Well Fund grantees will no doubt provide even more fuel for engaging people in their own health, which will lead to healthier lifestyles and improved lives.”

—Brent Ridge, M.D.

Vice President, Healthy Living

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia