While Microsoft is continuing to focus on the intersection of health technology and artificial intelligence, it is discontinuing one of its projects in this space.
Microsoft is removing its HealthVault Insights application from the iOS, Android, and Windows stores before the end of January 2018, according to an update on the HealthVault site.
In the note about the discontinuation, Microsoft officials described HealthVault Insights as “a research project … with the goal of helping patients generate new insights about their health.” Sounds like that is right in Microsoft’s analytics/health/machine learning wheelhouse.
There’s no explanation for the reasons behind the decision. Microsoft plans to enable those who used HealthVault Insights—which it launched last February—to access their data via the HealthVault website. Microsoft officials also said in the note that the company is “now applying that knowledge (from the HealthVault Insights project) to other projects.”
Meanwhile, Microsoft is continuing to support its HealthVault patient-records system, as well as Microsoft Health, a service for “actionable insights for healthier living.” Even though Microsoft discontinued its Microsoft Band fitness hardware, officials have said repeatedly that Microsoft still plans to provide health and fitness insights regardless of the type of devices to which Microsoft Health is connected.
Healthcare NExT projects, run by the company’s AI + Research Group, remain a big focus for the company. Microsoft officials have said HealthCare NExT’s mission is to provide personal health and wellness information to make healthcare “more proactive and holistic.”
