If you've ever tried to do medical research on the Internet, you know what a time-consuming -- and often futile -- task it can be. A simple flu could be misdiagnosed as a life-threatening illness if you click on the wrong site or give in to your own paranoia.

Well, Mr. Gates may have the solution for you. Microsoft has purchased Medstory.com -- a prominent medical search engine. (Source: yahoo.com)

Right now, the website is still in the beta testing stages. That obviously gives Microsoft the leeway and latitude to shape it into own vision -- whatever that may entail.

Obviously, the company that Bill Gates built has tremendous monetary resources at its disposal -- and that can only be a boon for both Medstory and any sick person looking for more accurate medical data online.

According to Microsoft's Vice President for Health Strategy, Peter Neupert, the company is "impressed with the ability of Medstory's unique technology to organize and surface the most relevant online health content, which empowers consumers who are trying to find the right information about an important life event." (Source: playfuls.com)

"With Microsoft's reach and experience, I look forward to this soon becoming a standard for online searches of health information," Medstory's chief executive and founder, Dr. Alain Rappaport, stated in a recent press release.

Steve Shihadeh, the general manager of Microsoft's health solutions group, said that the Medstory technology will likely be incorporated into the fitness section of MSN.com. (Source: forbes.com)

This isn't Microsoft's first venture into the medical field. This past July, Microsoft acquired Azyxxi, a Washington-based health care software company. Azyxxi's programs are designed to instantaneously track and update the electronic medical records of patients. Microsoft is also involved in a research and development program with non-profit firm Medstar Health, which owns seven hospitals in the Mid-Atlantic area. (Source: yahoo.com)