"Microsoft Health Tech Today" showcases how software innovation is improving global health

Microsoft Corp. today announced "Microsoft Health Tech Today," a fast-paced online video series designed to showcase how software innovation is improving health around the world. The show, at the intersection of health and information technology, highlights the latest industry trends and features examples of proven solutions that are improving health and changing lives for clinicians, patients and consumers worldwide.

As the global economic crisis persists, organizations continue to struggle with unsustainable systems. "Health Tech Today" aims to lead the movement toward highlighting sustainable solutions that improve patient services -- increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of care while simultaneously reducing costs. By making the connection between the business value of technology and the resulting improvements in personal and population health, "Health Tech Today" generates excitement and solutions for health IT. The show is hosted by Bill Crounse, M.D., senior director of Worldwide Health for Microsoft.

"Since coming to Microsoft, it's been my desire to do something more to disseminate information showing how information technology is transforming health and healthcare, and now is the time," Crounse said. "With the worldwide interest in health and particularly health IT, we want to give people a forum to talk about how important IT is to the industry, and how it can improve the cost and quality of care as well as the satisfaction of those providing and receiving care. 'Health Tech Today' gives the industry a voice that it currently does not have on the Web."

In addition to featuring compelling personal stories, "Health Tech Today" will host some of the world's top thought leaders in health and global health issues. Each show features live guests in the Microsoft Studios in Redmond, Wash., or brought in by satellite or webcam using Windows Live Messenger.

The lineup for the premiere of this monthly show includes a breadth of current issues and topics and guests:

• Nobel Laureate Archbishop Desmond Tutu joins live from his home in Cape Town, South Africa, to discuss how e-health -- the use of information technologies in medicine -- may be the key to solving chronic problems in global healthcare.
• Andrew Cull, a paramedic-turned-chief executive, discusses how his organization, Remote Medical International, is breaking the mold dispensing emergency medical services around the globe -- all coordinated by handheld devices, cell phones and online software.
• Pediatric specialist Dr. Cornelia Ruland joins the show from Oslo, Norway, where she demonstrates how an interactive video game helps doctors and medical professionals gain new insights into the symptoms of their young chronically ill patients.
• Dr. Kim Pittenger, a family physician from Virginia Mason Medical Center in Kirkland, Wash., discusses how he believes that much of the cost of medical care involves clogs in clinical workflow and information -- and how his clinic leveraged lessons learned from the efficient production line system of automaker Toyota Motor Corp. to revolutionize the patient's experience.
• Dr. Don Detmer says that "communication" is what is vitally missing at the intersection of health and information technology today. He discusses why he is advocating for more communication and collaboration.
• Chris Otto from Halo Monitoring demonstrates the wearable monitoring device MyHalo, which gives peace of mind to those who worry about their aging loved ones. MyHalo offers around-the-clock vital sign and activity monitoring by using body sensor technology combined with the Internet.

Those wanting more information and to watch the premiere episode of "Health Tech Today" should visit http://www.healthtech2day.com.