Healthcare Software Expansion

Acquisition of a clinical data management product has kicked off Microsoft’s expansion into healthcare software. Microsoft has purchased Azyxxi (rhymes with “pixie”), an application for integrating and presenting diagnostic results, notes, and other patient care data. The move is part of a broader initiative that could squeeze healthcare partners but also simplify the design of Windows-based healthcare solutions by customers and systems integrators.

A Vertical Move

Azyxxi is a Windows application originally developed at the Washington Hospital Center in Washington, D.C., and owned by Datomics Licensing and General Datomics (the latter co-owned by MedStar Health, which operates the center). Azyxxi integrates, caches, and presents clinical data (such as X-ray images and scanned documents entered by doctors) from multiple databases, enabling rapid access by doctors and other providers. As part of the deal, Azyxxi developers Craig Feied and Fidrik Iskandar and 40 employees will join Microsoft. A third developer, Mark Smith, will stay with Washington Hospital but will work with Microsoft to further develop and test the software.