Goggle

Google Health

Who would have every thought that Google would be involved with health care?  Google knows what the customer wants and they go after it.  It really makes cents.  If we can post on line (blog) personal information and that information is out there on the web for the whole world to see then why can’t we put our health care information on a site where others can view and use it?  Their ad runs something like this; Google Health can put you in charge of your health information. It’s safe, secure, and free.  They go on to say that you can organize your health information all in one place. You can gather your medical records from doctors, hospitals, and pharmacies.  You can keep your doctors up-to-date about your health and last but not least you can become more informed about important health issues

They have a disclaimer that Google will store your information securely and privately. They will never sell your data. You are in control. You choose what you want to share and what you want to keep private. The neat part about Google health is that it is not one dimensional.  They offer a wide array of services.  If you want you can link to your pharmacy.  You can send yourself reminders about medications.  So many laughed at first when they heard that Google was going to get involved in health care but look at them now.  More and more are getting involved.

The reason for more involvement is that more and more websites and hosting domains are popping up everywhere and now the public is becoming confused with which domain or hosting site to house their health care information or to participate with.  A physician can now invest in a site to house his/her patient’s health information.  So where does the patient put their health care information.  Whom do we trust?  Statistics still show that the demand for this type of service is still relatively low but it is expected to increase with more and more patients becoming more educated to the concept of taking responsibility for their own health care.  I know in my own family it is hard for my relatives to understand that I conduct my business over the internet.  Business over the internet whether personal or professional is growing but in my family most do not even bank online and some are just now wanting me to go to a website of a particular company and review something and get back to them.  I have even ordered a few things for family members that did not have access to the internet. Most of my family member use the internet has a way to communicate with each other by sending what I call junk emails.  They consist of short stories, hallmark cards and family email updates.  I do not think most of my family truly understands what the internet is capable of doing for them.  Then for those in my family that do understand the internet they are hesitant to really use it due to the fact that they do not feel secure with sharing personal information. Our society has a way to go before we are all comfortable enough to really use the computer securely.

One thing about Google is that they have the money to promote the idea.  That in itself says a great deal but we all know that if someone gets hurt by sharing their health care information and files a law suit against Google ,it could easily make for a bumpy road ahead for the giant.  We hear of breeches everyday with health care information but it seems that it is always with a famous person or celebrity’s record but it happens daily to the average person.  I am sure that you have heard about the breech with the Veterans Administration records so we all know that it could happen to anyone. 

Goggle Health has an Advisory Council.  They state that they often seek expertise from outside the company. They promote the idea that they want us to help them think about the ways they can contribute to the healthcare industry. They go on to state that the Google Health Advisory Council is made up of healthcare experts from provider organizations, consumer and disease-based groups, physician organizations, research institutions, policy foundations, and other fields.  I took a look at the list of members and not one of them is a health information management specialist.  I have been working with medical records my entire career.  I have a solid background and a degree in medical records and yet I did not find one person that was like me among their members.  The group mainly was composed of doctors and attorneys. I can understand the reasoning for doctors and lawyers on their team but what about people who really know medical records. That part really took me by surprise.  Here is an organization that wants to be a leader in the field and yet know one has a 100% back ground in the good ole medical record. They even give their mission statement.  The mission of the Google Health Advisory Council is to help us better understand the problems consumers and providers face every day and to offer us feedback on product ideas and development.  

 

I know that Google can do what they want because they have money to do it with but the consumer needs to be aware of the health care information specialist and their role in all of this.  As a Health Information Management consultant there is more to my profession that most do not understand.  I understand the health information in different formats  and the entire health care system. Sometimes we as a health care (patient) consumer need things explained to us not from a doctor or lawyer but from someone who can talk in layman’s terms.  Sometimes as a health care organization there is a need for an unbiased opinion on a product or on selecting an electronic health record (EHR).

Tags: blog, blogging, care givers, EHR, family, goggle, goggle health, health, Health information management, medical records, personal health records, PHR