Microsoft and CVS expand pharmacy partnership

CVS Caremark announced Tuesday that it has broadened its pharmacy partnership with Microsoft to let customers download their prescription histories to their Microsoft HealthVault accounts.

Available since June 2008, the CVS offering has allowed customers to save and manage their pharmaceutical history online via Microsoft's HealthCare Web site. Now people can also add their prescription history by visiting CVS.com and logging into their HealthVault record.

Microsoft HealthVault is a free service that lets consumers store and maintain their health information in one single electronic spot. The site also provides health-related advice on losing weight, staying in shape, and managing health records for an emergency.

The service has been open to people who fill their prescriptions at CVS and those who use CVS's MinuteClinic, small health clinics where consumers can receive medical attention from nurse practitioners at select CVS stores. Customers who use the clinic can now also store their lab tests and other results into HealthVault.

"The expansion of the HealthVault and CVS Caremark partnership allows a greater number of people to easily manage prescription information for themselves and their families," said David Cerino, general manager of consumer health in Microsoft's Health Solutions Group. "This not only helps consumers take better control of their medication plans, but also enables individuals to provide their physicians with visibility to their prescription history for better coordination of care."

Microsoft isn't CVS' only health care partner. In April, CVS expanded its joint venture with Google to let customers store their health records online through Google Health.

With the push toward health care reform, other tech companies have also gotten into the act.

In May, Intuit, Microsoft, Dell, Intel, and other firms formed the EHR Stimulus Alliance, designed to push doctors and hospitals toward digital record keeping.