The AP has announced that Google’s first step into the world of storing health records will be in conjunction with the Cleveland Clinic—which of course already has a boatload of patients using EMRs and PHRs on the Epic MyChart system. The idea (presumably as this is a leak from within Cleveland Clinic not an official announcement) is that those records can be stored in Google, and presumably will be transportable—somewhat similar to what Microsoft and Dossia are promising. Nothing earth-shattering yet, but an interesting beginning.
And of course we’ll hopefully get some more details next week at the HIMSS conference where Google CEO Eric Schmidt is speaking, and the Health team is having a party to which they kindly invited me (Thanks, Missy!)
Google has been much criticized for its slow pace in health. But speaking as one who now runs big components of our little business on Google via Checkout (and integrates it with rival services like WuFoo and TypePad) — I think that this (and HealthVault et al) is a small step towards a much bigger online future for health care transactions. At least, I hope so!
do you think privacy issues won’t arise once Google start keeping health care records?
Entities like Google are not covered under HIPAA. Combine that with the fact that the financial value to be derived from data mining this information will be huge and irresistable to researchers and drug companies.
Consumer advocates are already warning that confidential personal medical information will be at risk.
Maybe contract law could help patients enhance the privacy of their health records. http://hack-igations.blogspot.com/2008/02/contracts-for-patient-privacy.html
Maybe contract law could help patients enhance the privacy of their health records. http://hack-igations.blogspot.com/2008/02/contracts-for-patient-privacy.html
This is probably one of the most dangerous trends within consumer health: the compilation of highly sensitive personal health information by huge, non-health related data-mining companies. It is unfortunate that these companies are permitted to do so as the consumer has no real expectation of confidentiality or privacy. As a health care professional, I can attest that there is no valid medical reason (e.g., enhanced access to better care) for people to store their information on services such as Google’s which will be used entirely for data-mining purposes.