Google started collecting personal health data (doctor, prescriptions, insurance, versus)
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Google is engaged with one of the country’s largest health-care systems to collect and crunch the detailed personal health information of millions of Americans across 21 states to establish a toehold in the massive health-care industry.
Google began Project Nightingale in secret last year. Neither patients nor doctors have been notified. At least 150 Google employees already have access to much of the data on tens of millions of patients, according to a person familiar with the matter and the documents.
Privacy experts said it appears to be permissible under federal law.
Google’s ability to uphold data privacy is under scrutiny as it increasingly inserts itself into people’s medical lives.
People need to talk to their doctors office staff about these things, I did a couple months ago and they are working with me to resolve the problem, the girls that work the desk at the doctors office can be REALLY helpful if you take the time to talk to them, they have alot of control over what happens to your personal information and your treatment details.
My initial complaint was, the DEA and other law enforcement agencies had access to my personal medical information, such as what meds the doctor was prescribing me, until I spoke with one of the girls that work the front reception desk, they told me NO ONE can have access to this info unless you authorize them, there is a specific form where you can list all those you authorize to know your treatment details.
After some time, the office is now 'filing' my visit summaries and treatment details in a slightly different way, but doing it this way prevents the DEA or anyone from accessing this information.
What started getting me concerned about this, i read an article about how the DEA keeps tabs on people that are prescribed certain medications (like Suboxone, which I take), they can go right into your doctors files and retrieve this information, of course, if they know what medicine you are being given...they also know what you are being treated for...THAT is ILLEGAL. I do not want some federal law enforcement agency to know my medical history and what Im being treated for, they could use that against me if they wanted to!
I encourage everyone to talk to their doctors office staff about this...they can help you protect your privacy.
Routine digitization of medical records began over a decade ago in early 2009. SOMEONE has to create that software, and SOMEONE has to house the data in a network. Google is doing both.
Did any of you think the doctor was plugging the information into a magic machine that you'd magically be able to access from your home, and that the specialist she refers you to would magically be able to access, without the use of any software or network?
The health care industry has to create these tools for the providers to use. If they announce their intention to create this stuff to the public, it just opens an avenue for criminals to come in at the early stages, before the bugs are fixed, and corrupt it.
Sometimes, transparency is not a good thing. I think this is one of those times.
Old news. Google has been doing this for years. The difference is that Ascension is huge compared to places like the Mayo Clinic that has already been sending Google patient information. The concern one should have is that although Google's is using health and medical provided information to develop medical/health related outcomes, services like Facebook have been also developing similar information but using your post and replys to create profiles on health and medical outcomes.
Don't know about the rest of you, but I would rather Google develop medical indicators based on information my Gastroenterology sent them versus me posting that I like the flavor of Tums on facebook.
Now, don't get me wrong, there are privacy concerns but geez this is nothing compared to what data brokers already have on you.
People need to talk to their doctors office staff about these things, I did a couple months ago and they are working with me to resolve the problem, the girls that work the desk at the doctors office can be REALLY helpful if you take the time to talk to them, they have alot of control over what happens to your personal information and your treatment details.
My initial complaint was, the DEA and other law enforcement agencies had access to my personal medical information, such as what meds the doctor was prescribing me, until I spoke with one of the girls that work the front reception desk, they told me NO ONE can have access to this info unless you authorize them, there is a specific form where you can list all those you authorize to know your treatment details.
After some time, the office is now 'filing' my visit summaries and treatment details in a slightly different way, but doing it this way prevents the DEA or anyone from accessing this information.
What started getting me concerned about this, i read an article about how the DEA keeps tabs on people that are prescribed certain medications (like Suboxone, which I take), they can go right into your doctors files and retrieve this information, of course, if they know what medicine you are being given...they also know what you are being treated for...THAT is ILLEGAL. I do not want some federal law enforcement agency to know my medical history and what Im being treated for, they could use that against me if they wanted to!
I encourage everyone to talk to their doctors office staff about this...they can help you protect your privacy.
The overwhelming majority, if not all states, has these for scheduled medications (ie, opioids and other drugs), which would include suboxone.
This is a database that tracks all scheduled prescriptions filled in the state. Those who access the database can see the patient name, the dose, where it was filled, etc. I am not sure if it also tracks the diagnosis of the medical problem, but it would not surprise me if that was included. The purpose is to crack down on doctor shopping and other abuses of opioids and scheduled medications.
You do not have any legal ability to opt out of this tracking, unfortunately.
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