Microsoft to boost health IT presence through software acquisition
Microsoft Corp. yesterday announced plans to acquire the health intelligence software Azyxxi and to forge a strategic alliance with MedStar Health, according to a release.

Azyxxi was created by Craig Feied, MD, Mark Smith, MD, and Fidrik Iskandar using Microsoft development tools. It brings together all types of patient data from hundreds of sources and makes them instantly available at the point of care.

Under the terms of the acquisition, the Azyxxi creators will continue to support the development and expansion of the software, along with approximately 40 employees from the development team at Washington Hospital Center. A newly formed division at Microsoft led by Peter Neupert, corporate vice president of the health solutions group, will incorporate the new employees and manage product development and delivery.

Microsoft’s move to acquire Azyxxi is meant to deepen the company’s healthcare industry presence. Azyxxi was first deployed in 1996 in the emergency department of one of MedStar Health’s hospitals, Washington Hospital Center, in Washington, D.C. In addition to serving as a repository for all of a patient’s routine clinical information, Azyxxi provides caregivers with instant access to a comprehensive view of each patient that includes EKGs, scanned documents, X-rays, CT scans, MRI scans, PET scans and even dynamic angiograms and ultrasound images.

Financial terms were not disclosed as part of the agreement between the organizations.

Microsoft and MedStar Health have also agreed on a strategic alliance designed to work collaborative with customers as the technology becomes commercially available. Building on more than 10 years of experience, Washington Hospital Center will serve as the development laboratory and continue to develop prototypes and deploy new features that support and enhance the Azyxxi technology, according to the release.
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