Microsoft Launches New Version of CERA for Health Plans

Microsoft has released its Consumer Engagement Reference Architecture version 4, providing guidance to help payers connect to ‘in the cloud’ platforms and services such as HealthVault, Windows Live and more.

The interaction of Consumer Engagement Reference Architecture (CERA) v4 with HealthVault, a technology platform that helps consumers collect, store, use and share their personal health information in a security-enhanced environment, is critical to keeping consumers engaged, as it puts them at the center of their health decisions and information, while enabling the exchange of information among different health services and devices at their discretion.

The platform is designed to help members store an array of health records in their HealthVault accounts, including continuity of care documents, prescription medication lists, health histories, hospital discharge summaries, lab test results, fitness data and web search results.

CERA v4 also features authenticated sign-on via Microsoft’s LiveID technology, and software-generated ‘moments of participation,’ which are meaningful interactions with people, software agents, natural interfaces and devices that make positive health changes more natural for the consumer. These ‘moments’ are enabled by extending health plan information and interactivity to multiple channels and are powered by Web 2.0 technology such as Microsoft Silverlight 2.0.