Google health

I recently discovered google health and find it useful for what it is. See the FAQ for any questions.

Google Health puts you in charge of your health information. It's safe, secure, and free.

• Organize your health information all in one place
• Gather your medical records from doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies
• Keep your doctors up-to-date about your health
• Be more informed about important health issues

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.

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As Im not viewing this as a product per se (google say theyre not advertising on it), I hope it doesnt breach posting guidelines. I think its worth a look anyway.

In brief

"Google Health offers a single location to consolidate and store your medical records and personal health information. Saving medical information in one secure location helps you and your doctors have accurate and up-to-date information about your health when you need it the most. This in turn means that your medical treatments may be safer and more effective. You can also use Google Health to access a host of online services and tools, from a variety of third-party companies, that can help you better manage your care."

Have you uploaded your own medical records? Does you GP use it?

I'll bet a GP'd love that!
"Keep your doctors up-to-date about your health"

Nicola

NicolaM said:

I'll bet a GP'd love that!
"Keep your doctors up-to-date about your health"

Nicola

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Yeah, the next release will diagnose for you, cuts out the medical middle man, and then hooks you up with an online prescription drug supplier - and we all know how good an idea that is.

I think the upload of the medical records is currently only from approved 3rd parties of which only americans are subscribed, you have to create your own profile. So I would say its no more then a medical diary and reference point at the moment for Irish users but the possabilites are good.

My 4yr old daughter suffered a nasty cut on her head whilst on holidays a couple of months ago, we created a profile for her, tracked treatments and medication on the site. Thats now stored.

If you had a medical history and had all medications and dates listed on your profile, trip to a new doc/hospital, open your profile and they can see history.

As with any other google offering, its not for everyone, some people will always have reservations about google, but Ive found this one useful.

Actually, there have been talks of something along this lines being created in the UK, on a far greater scale, for the NHS, a centralised database of all patients records.
I don't really like the sound of it at all: what if someone looked inappropriately at your records (eg if you had a history of mental health problems, or anything else you would like to keep private).
Seems rather 1984 to me.

That's scary!

No joking!

I don't really like the sound of it at all: what if someone looked inappropriately at your records (eg if you had a history of mental health problems, or anything else you would like to keep private).

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Googles data protection policies are well documented.

I would advise that if there any reservations about putting sensitive information on any internet site, then dont use it.


If I seem to be singing its praises a little too loudly I have no connection to google other then being a fan of its offerings.

car said:

If I seem to be singing its praises a little too loudly I have no connection to google other then being a fan of its offerings.

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Thanks for clarifying, I was starting to wonder...

car said:

Googles data protection policies are well documented.

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I wonder are the NHS data protection policies as good though?
I have a feeling not...

I was just reading about a US court ruling that if not appealed will see YouTube (owned by Google) hand over 12 terabytes of user data to Viacom.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7488009.stm

I wonder how easily the google health privacy policy would be bypassed.

NicolaM said:

Actually, there have been talks of something along this lines being created in the UK, on a far greater scale, for the NHS, a centralised database of all patients records.
I don't really like the sound of it at all: what if someone looked inappropriately at your records (eg if you had a history of mental health problems, or anything else you would like to keep private).
Seems rather 1984 to me.

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Ahh sure that won't catch on in Ireland at all - all your medical history will be safely stored in a file & then they'll just dump it in a field in a few years