Google and your medical records
The Internet search-engine giant Google is going to begin storing some patients' private medical records:
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 about more information about an injury, illness or recommended treatment.
But the health venture also will provide more fodder for privacy watchdogs who believe Google already knows too much about the interests and habits of its users as its computers log their search requests and store their e-mail discussions.
I can see both good and bad in this.
On the good side, this gives patients unprecedented access to their own medical records, which is important for people who want to take a more active role in managing their own health care.
On the bad side, data stored by Google won't, at least for now, be covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which protects the privacy of medical records. In addition to an increased risk of privacy violations, there's at least an outside chance that the records could be used for marketing purposes.
On the good side, Google has a record of dedication to individual privacy. Under pressure from users, it developed a system to purge search records after 18 months, and two years ago it fought and won a case in which the U.S. Department of Justice wanted to examine large numbers of its records.
Would you let your records be stored by Google if it meant you could access them more freely?