Google Personal Health Records
Google has decided to begin a medical records program, starting at the Cleveland Clinic hospital in Cleveland, Ohio. Some 10,000 patients participating in the test run will have their personal heath records (PHRs) moved to their Google accounts, allowing them to access their records from any computer with an internet connection. This may seem like a brilliant new idea, but in fact several other companies (including Microsoft) are also looking into this industry. As with any venture, online PHRs have their pros and cons. The benefit comes from being able to access your records anywhere. This allows you to visit any doctor, and they’ll be able to access your health records and provide you informed service. The drawback is privacy. Putting your data online makes it easier for others to steal it. Additionally, marketers could exploit data that would otherwise be confidential. These are serious issues. Unless Google and other interested companies can develop a secure way to keep PHR data confidential, the development of this industry will lead to more harm than good.