The New Personal Health Portals: Are They the Answer to Behavioral Health Integration With Primary Care? Are Regional Health Information Systems a Thing of the Past?

OPEN MINDS, The Behavioral Health & Social Service Industry Analyst Cover Story In the past year, two information technology mega-giants have launched free web-based personal health technology platforms that will revolutionize the health care industry as a whole — and the behavioral health field in particular. In October 2007 Microsoft announced the arrival of HealthVault, and in May 2008 Google unveiled “Google Health,” both with active agreements within a “broad ecosystem” of partners, including medical providers, health and wellness device manufacturers, health associations, and health information portals. Both companies promise data security and control — as well as interactivity. With . . .