Google to store patients' health records

[tuvor]

Source: CBC

Google Inc. will begin storing the medical records of a few thousand people as it tests a long-awaited health service that's likely to raise more concerns about the volume of sensitive information entrusted to the internet search leader.

The pilot project to be announced Thursday will involve 1,500 to 10,000 patients at the Cleveland Clinic who volunteered to an electronic transfer of their personal health records so they can be retrieved through Google's new service, which won't be open to the general public.

Each health profile, including information about prescriptions, allergies and medical histories, will be protected by a password that's also required to use other Google services such as e-mail and personalized search tools.

Google views its expansion into health records management as a logical extension because its search engine already processes millions of requests from people trying to find more information about an injury, illness or recommended treatment.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2008/02/21/tech-google-health.html

[mac2]

1. Don't kid yourselves the gathering of private information

is worth a lot of big bucks. Look at the Choice Point buyout.

We need hearings on this again.

[Elspeth]

34. Yes we do need hearings

Although I think Congress is bought and paid for sadly...

[Occulus]

2. Um, are they HIGH?

Terrible idea.

"will be protected by a password that's also required to use other Google services such as e-mail and personalized search tools"

I'll ask again- are they HIGH??

[midnight]

3. Just say NO. No to collecting and story of personal pieces of

information. Safety reasons ie. this collection of information is just plain helpful to save lives is not believable.

[littlecryinggirl]

4. Get used to it.

Unfortunately this is the Achilles heel for universal health care and will be one of the angles those opposing it use. Like it or not (and I don't) we probably should get used to the idea.

[kirby]

6. Not true...

There is no reason why strong Privacy laws, like the EU or stronger, could not be passed here. The problem is that the law hasn't caught up with the technology. Mainly because most people just don't give a crap. This news item is an example. 1500 - 10,000 patients are expected to volunteer for this? Universal Health Care is going to require passage of strong privacy laws which require permission, inability to market using the data, inability to discriminate using the data, and a requirement for very strong security. For something like health data a password is not sufficient--one of those random number key fobs or something needs to be mandated as well as strong encryption.

[wtmusic]

10. "Most people don't give a crap."

When stopping at a new pharmacy to pick up meds yesterday, I was asked to sign a waiver that I had received their Privacy Policy. When I objected that I hadn't received anything, I was met with a blank stare, then "it's just the standard HIPAA form", like I was supposed to lie anyway and say I had received it. I made them grudgingly print it out, and when I only got 3 pages of 5, I demanded the other two.

The list of exemptions, or circumstances under which they can release my information, is astonishing. It includes (I kid you not) provisions for "protection of the President and foreign dignitaries". They nodded in assent when I said "I guess most people just lie and say you gave this to them, when you didn't."

So the very reason you cite, "most people don't give a crap", is exactly the reason why strong privacy laws could not be passed here.

[spotbird]

28. Worse,

if you don't sign, you don't get treatment. What's the point of a right if it offers no protection?

[mopinko]

13. i am

my docs are part of a big university system that uses something called epic. i can see test results, make appointments, refill prescriptions, message my doctor. everything about me for the last 3 years, at least, is online. i just assume that if anyone wanted it, they would have it.
:shrug: at least i get some benefit from this. i never thought my records were all that private anyway. always assumed if a doctor wrote it down, it could be subpoenaed.

[OhioChick]

14. Ever Wonder

About Insurance Companies Getting Their Hands on Those Records?

[LynzM]

19. And then we're back to the fact that...

Insurance coverage should not be based on health status!! :banghead: What an ugly and vicious cycle this all is. Gah.

[OhioChick]

29. You Got It! n/t

[mopinko]

22. oh, i am screwed.

if bcbs ever figures out how to dump my family, they will do it in a new york minute. i have a chronic illness, 2 of my kids do. i just got a $100,000 new neck. i fully expect to hit my $5M lifetime limit just because i am me.
but they already have your info. i couldn't afford to get my life insurance renewed just based on what i told them. i didn't bother to lie. i knew there was plenty out there for them to find. it was going to go from $200/yr to $650/mo.

[OhioChick]

30. I Feel For You

As I'm in a Similar Situation.

[Phillycat]

23. We use Epic too.

Another big university health system/hospital here.

[lurky]

5. OK, now I'm officially afraid of Google.

The Rubicon has been crossed with this move.
:scared:

[InkAddict]

7. Of course it's a logical extension for a corporation that makes

it's bucks collecting and analyzing demographics, etc...so it can price it's advertising and aim it just right.

HIIPA's formal attire has gone grunge.

Common on Clinic docs...just scan an alternate sheet that says "See in-house chart document if one exists."

[peacetalksforall]

8. The most obvious worse case - think Hitler - picture the movies if

you haven't read - lines - one person - directing - left, to the trains - right, back to work.

And the regime contracted with an early IBM to automate the prisoners pulled out of their homes and workplaces.

Then project: your score is 799 - left. Your sccre is 175 - right.

We can no longer pay for 799's - yes it takes money to send you left, but it's cheaper in the long run.

Central collection, storage, and access to your privacy is OK?

And some of you think abortion is a big thing for Republicans.

Just project a little - they will probably take the DNA within 30 days and zap, for some, if the gene alignment is not quite affordable.

[2Design]

9. this is the company that turns people into governments to be killed

I sure don't want them in charge of my data

[LostinVA]

18. wha?

:wtf:

[crikkett]

20. they were alluding to the time when Google helped the Chinese govt

catch a dissident for seditious activity. Or was that Yahoo.

[Xithras]

26. That was Yahoo, not Google.

I haven't used Yahoo since.

Google does unfortunatly cooperate with Chinese Internet filtering policies, but they haven't killed anyone (yet!)

[Lone_Star_Dem]

24. On second thought I'm not sure

So I'll just edit out my speculation as to what they intended.

[crikkett]

21. Poof! You're a government!

[merwin]

31. That's exactly how I read it.

I had to read it over a few times to figure out what it meant.

[The Backlash Cometh]

11. They won't be open to the general public until the service gets

outsourced to India and the information gets sold to who knows who.

[OhioChick]

12. True. n/t

[EFerrari]

15. But couldn't someone who knows what they're doing get in anyway?

This sounds like an extraordinarily bad idea.

[OhioChick]

16. A Bad Idea Any Way You Look at It. n/t

[The Backlash Cometh]

17. Certainly will be easier to gather information to blackmail people.

[mpendragon]

25. in my experience

Hospitals aren't big on sharing their information without a really good reason and they don't seem to care for using intermediaries. It will be interesting to see how many takers they get.

[superconnected]

27. In other words the Bush administration will be handling your health records

from here on out, and all government agencys and juntas that succeed them.

(Plus it's so much easier to kill someone when you know what they're allergic too.)

[LiberalFighter]

32. I rather use a USB flash drive instead in my possession with medical records.

[crikkett]

33. Remember the Seinfeld episode where Elaine saw folks

scribble in her medical record and then found it impossible to get good care?

If the records were electronic she would have never known...