Medical Records Online - Intrusion of Privacy or a Necessity?

Some Web sites are suggesting that putting medical records online is the next logical step for consumers who want to have access to their own records when necessary or to forward to a health care provider in an emergency. The benefits include having all of your records in one place and the ability to keep your doctors up-to-date on your health. One cited example of the necessity of the service was the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina when countless paper-based medical records were lost in the aftermath of the storm.

But the posting of users' medical records - even under a password - is a scary prospect for some privacy advocates who wonder how secure that data really is.

So far there are at least three major Web sites that are allowing users to collect their health data online: Google Health, Microsoft's HealthVault and Revolution Health.

Google started its health records initiative in early 2008 with a test group of thousands of patients at the Cleveland Clinic who volunteered to an online transfer of their records. Google Health is now available for the general public to try on their own. The Google Health page promises, "Google stores your information securely and privately. We will never sell your data. You are in control. You choose what you want to share and what you want to keep private."

Google and other online engines maintain that keeping the records is a convenience for users who already use the search engine to process millions of queries concerning injuries, illnesses or recommended treatments. But these services aren't covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, which might make the records more obtainable by the government, the media or some other legal adversary to obtain the information. HIPPA, which was passed in 1996, requires a doctor to notify a patient when subpoenaed for a medial record and classifies medical information as privileged communication between a patient and health care provider. There's also nothing to prevent these sites from using the information for marketing purposes.

Interesting Links:

Medical Identification System

Ambulance Hospital

Privacy Micro Blog

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