Kaiser Patients Rejoice! Microsoft Is Getting Your Health Records
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Microsoft wants to get into the health record storage business with their system called ‘HealthVault.’ One of the first major clients will be Kaiser Permanente, in a pilot program. In an article from Reuters it states:
Data kept in Kaiser’s personal health records, which includes patients’ test results, prescriptions and immunizations, will be shifted to Microsoft’s HealthVault, a Web-based service that allows patients to store and manage medical data from a variety of websites and selectively share information with them, the paper reported.
Moves by technology companies, hospitals, insurers and the government to give patients more control and access to their medical information through technology are expected to help lower healthcare costs, it said.
With both Google and Microsoft going into the health care records business, it makes one wonder. Why? Are both these companies so loving and caring that they are concerned about you and I?
What do you think is their real motive?
Comments welcome.
6 Comments
leftystrat
June 10th, 2008
at 7:01am
I’ve been watching this unfold. We seem to have `progressed’ from the concept of electronic records directly to the debate on which service to use to store them.
We seem, however, to have completely bypassed the debate over WHETHER to use electronic records.
It will surprise no one that I say not to use them at all. To have information available is to have it stolen or misused eventually. Period.
Safely in my forties, I have survived quite well without anyone (including me) having electronic and immediate access to my medical records. Don’t let anyone fool you - an emergency room can treat you without having access - they’ve been doing it as long as there have been emergency rooms.
This is a solution looking for a problem.
Lastly, your records are already in electronic form whether you realize it or not. There are tons of insurers in Hartford, CT. Care to bet there aren’t MANY copies of all your records up there?
GREAT post, Ron.
Thanks.
Ryan
June 10th, 2008
at 10:58am
I should mention that as the keepers of this information, that makes them a healthcare provider under the HIPPA definition, and so if they leak any of your health information (intentionally or unintentionally), you can sue them under the HIPPA act and, well we’ll put it this way, go buy your own island.
I eagerly await this to happen and play out in the courts.
Edie
June 10th, 2008
at 11:41am
I would appreciate having my medical records electronically available to me under these conditions:
1. The data really IS secure
2. I can restrict access to everybody if I choose
3. I can restrict certain data from being available to others (for instance I might not want my NEW insurance company having access to 40 years of my health data)..
4. “Permission-based access only” to health records for use in health studies. Each instance requires my permission, and only for a limited time and purpose. No availability to “third party partners” ad infinitum.
5. No selling of “anonymous” health records/data.
6. $1million fine per record hacked/stolen/sold. No cap on punitive damages.
7. The lawers don’t get the island - I do.
I doubt my requirements could be met. You?
Should We Allow Any Company The Ability To Store Our Medical Records? ~ The Blade by Ron Schenone, MVP
June 10th, 2008
at 1:36pm
[...] article about Microsoft & Kaiser Permanente joining in an effort to store patient records [here], one reader asked a question that I found [...]
Scott Smith
June 11th, 2008
at 12:57pm
I read with great interest your blog about electronic medical records. MyMedicalRecords.com (MMR) is an advanced patient health record and an Integrated Service Provider on Google Health.
Using MMR, complete patient records can be easily faxed, voiced, or uploaded into a password-secured, web-based account. An emergency log-in feature also allows access to your critical medical information in the event of an emergency, and it has a drug interaction database for prescriptions, as well as many other features.
Perhaps you and your readers would like to test drive MMR by signing up for 30 days free using the promotion code TRYMMR.
Scott Smith
MyMedicalRecords.com
ssmith2@mmrmail.com
10100 Santa Monica Blvd #430
Los Angeles CA 90069
888-808-4667 ext. 123
Grif
June 11th, 2008
at 7:41pm
Take a look at the Patient Privacy Foundation site for lots of info on health care records. Their excellent newsletter keeps you up-to-date on the latest issues and legislation and makes it easy to contact your legislators. The site explains how HIPAA has morphed through the years into it’s present form through regulatory action. See:
http://www.electricsmarts.com/container.aspx?storyid=12414&tab=featured&distid=19542&tid=