Establishing connectivity with HealthVault users

Article
03/18/2013

HealthVault users must consent before an application can access their records, whether for reading, adding, changing, or deleting data. (We refer to this as application-record authorization or just authorization.) Therefore, when you integrate HealthVault connectivity into an application you must determine how you will establish an authorized connection with the user's records.

If you are creating an app or portal that has a user interface for consumers or patients:

If your user-facing application…	Type of connection	Basic user workflow	See this article
Has a web-based front end	Web	Users begin at your website, establish authorization at HealthVault.com, and then return to your website.	HealthVault web connectivity
Is a mobile, tablet, or PC client app	SODA	Users begin in a mobile, tablet, or PC client app, establish authorization at HealthVault.com, and then return to your app.	HealthVault mobile

If your app does not have a user interface for consumers or patients, but you want to connect with HealthVault (typically this would be a clinical application):

If your non-user-facing application…	Type of connection	Basic user workflow	See this article
Needs to establish an ongoing data exchange with HealthVault	Patient Connect	Via email or another method, you direct users to a HealthVault URL where they'll connect using a shared secret and establish authorization.	Establishing authorization with a user using Patient Connect
Will send data to HealthVault but doesn't need ongoing connectivity	Drop-off and pick-up (DOPU)	Via email or another method, you direct users to a HealthVault URL where they'll pick up a package of data from you using a shared secret. No ongoing authorization will be established.	HealthVault drop-off and pick-up (DOPU)
Can send and/or receive encrypted email, using the Direct Project messaging protocol	Direct Messaging	Your clinical Direct messaging account can exchange Direct messages with patients, who use HealthVault Message Center to create their own Direct messaging address and access Direct messages in HealthVault. Patients can then send data to their provider's Direct messaging address from HealthVault and import data, such as a CCR or CCD, from providers into HealthVault. Note: Your app does not need to be HealthVault-aware to use this type of connection.	Using Direct messaging (available in the U.S. only)

Needs to establish an ongoing data exchange with HealthVault

Patient Connect

Via email or another method, you direct users to a HealthVault URL where they'll connect using a shared secret and establish authorization.

Establishing authorization with a user using Patient Connect

Will send data to HealthVault but doesn't need ongoing connectivity

Drop-off and pick-up (DOPU)

Via email or another method, you direct users to a HealthVault URL where they'll pick up a package of data from you using a shared secret.

No ongoing authorization will be established.

HealthVault drop-off and pick-up (DOPU)

Can send and/or receive encrypted email, using the Direct Project messaging protocol

Direct Messaging

Your clinical Direct messaging account can exchange Direct messages with patients, who use HealthVault Message Center to create their own Direct messaging address and access Direct messages in HealthVault.

Patients can then send data to their provider's Direct messaging address from HealthVault and import data, such as a CCR or CCD, from providers into HealthVault.

Note: Your app does not need to be HealthVault-aware to use this type of connection.

Using Direct messaging (available in the U.S. only)

Establishing connectivity with HealthVault users

Additional resources