If a person decides to see a provider after taking the assessment, a prepare-for-visit tool allows him or her to compile an organized health history for providers by combining the self-assessment answers with health information stored in the user's account in Microsoft HealthVault, a personal health application platform designed to put consumers in control of their health information. The connected nature of the HealthVault ecosystem enables individuals to act on their assessment through partners such as TelaDoc, which offers telephonic visits, and American Well, which connects individuals to their health plan physicians for video, chat or telephone consultations.

"Any pandemic has the potential to create major disruptions in society," said David Cerino, general manager, Microsoft Health Solutions Group. "Now more than ever, we are in a position to implement solutions to help people make better decisions during these outbreaks, such as social distancing, because of the technological advancements that companies like Microsoft have made over the past few years."

The self-assessment licensed from Emory University is based on a "Strategy for Off-site Rapid Triage," or SORT. SORT reflects current public health and clinical science, vetted by a national network of experts from public health, clinical medicine, health education and infectious disease. It is grounded in a clinical strategy endorsed by the American College of Emergency Physicians, the leading organization for emergency medicine in the U.S.

SOURCE Microsoft Corp.