Google Health launched (Beta)
See also : http://backupanytime.com/blog/?p=56
On Monday, Google announced a beta version of the Google personal health records system.
The system allows users store and track their personal health profile.
The system goes beyond simple storage. Googles medical and technical partnerships in this project make it possible for Google Health users to receive automatic updates of their prescriptions, medical records and even medical test results!
Amazingly, Google Health is not subject to H.I.P.A.A. compliance.
Google are currently offering Google Health as a free service. They have made a commitment that they will not sell user data and in addition they do not currently have plans to target users of the service with Google advertising.
When questioned about information life-cycle relative to end user deletion, a Google spokesperson explained that while the deletion is immediate, a backup may remain in place for some time.
There have been some concerns raised about targeted advertising and about advertising products and services relative to a persons illness. General consensus is that any system which makes medical information available to the individual and his Doctor must be good. The areas of privacy and the possibility of targeted advertising will affect uptake levels.
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Tags: data protection, Google Health, H.I.P.A.A., medical data, online database, personal data
May 22nd, 2008 at 1:28 pm
Are google getting to the point at which they are prostituting the product. I appreciate that they have launched many helpful (gmail) and innovative (google maps) and that they are the undisputed leaders in the search engine business but should they not be focusing on their core business? If a smaller operation did this it could be seen as potentially bad for their reputation.
Pat
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:12 pm
Whats hippa compliance? It to do with health services or data protection or both? Where has it got teeth and who should be concerned about? Excuse the list of questions. I did some research and it seems to be all of the above with USA relevance only. Is it of any concern to data backup operators in the UK?
Cheers in advance
Ollie
May 22nd, 2008 at 2:26 pm
I was very curious about google health so I did a simple search for it in google.com of course…
I was able to log in with my gmaiol account and hey presto I had a profile. I think this is a great idea from a company which is synonomous with great ideas and follow up implementation…
Janet
May 22nd, 2008 at 8:06 pm
Patrick,
I agree whole heartedly with you. Google are a great company but they do tend to push the boat out too far. I reckon they are seriously at risk of becomming the Tesco of search engines. Then again, in business its all about bottom line, or is it?
Sean
May 23rd, 2008 at 12:31 am
I like the Tesco analogy. (-:
I am just wondering if Google are getting in to the online backup business?
Gmail was and still is a far cry for online backup (and in fairness google never said otherwise but end users all over the web saw it as a forerunner to online backup) and Google docs is online only and will only process limited data types. Google health however deals with crucially sensitive data and must surelty be encrypted. Again it is likely to offer limited application support and as it is intended to be a medical database that is likely what it will stay as. I cant help but wonder if Google are courting web users to gaingeneral data storage trust well in advance of an online backup offering.
I will trackback to insight or opinions.
Thanks
James