Microsoft HealthVault Insights, a research-based project using big data to generate deeper patient health insights to improve care, is bringing Validic’s data connectivity platform into the mix to better understand the engagement part of the equation.

Validic’s platform will serve as a key backend component by enabling Microsoft to connect to some 400 clinical and consumer devices. By creating added visibility and contextualizing health data – including trends and correlations from everyday activities and behaviors – HealthVault Insight’s mission is twofold: improve clinicians’ delivery of care on a continuum and foster a sense of personal responsibility in patients.

“Validic provides the scalable infrastructure needed to acquire a broad range of data for millions of patients,” Validic CEO and cofounder Drew Schiller said in a statement. With a vision for a healthcare system built around intelligent insights, we are excited for this opportunity with Microsoft to improve care management and delivery in a way.”

Microsoft’s machine-learning capabilities will combine the Validic-provided data with the patient’s electronic health records, and clinicians will be able to remotely view the patients care plan adherence and engagement. As data is collected and analyzed, patients themselves will be informed of health impacts related to their lifestyle, and will be encouraged to become more actively engaged with the day-to-day management of their health. Altogether, the Validic integration could improve the feasibility and functionality of remote monitoring and chronic condition management programs. 

“We are working to bring together critical data sources with machine learning to deliver personalized, actionable insights to both patients and clinicians,” Heather Jordan Cartwright, Microsoft’s General Manager of Artificial Intelligence and Research, said in a statement. “Validic provides a core data channel for HealthVault Insights - enabling device data connectivity to hundreds of devices. This collaboration helps us continue to build a seamless experience for the patient while providing unique insights to the care team.”

The project is part of Microsoft’s Healthcare NExT initiative announced in February, which brings together artificial intelligence, cloud computing, research and industry partnerships. The initiative includes projects focused on genomics analysis and health chatbot technology, and a partnership with the University of Pittsburg Medical Center.