Tag: Google Health

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Google Health beta service is officially Released

G-helthLike many of Google’s new services, Google Health is in beta, although officials said anyone can sign up for it and start entering their health data as we they promised earlier.

The public can go today to www.google.com/health and create profiles that include basic medical information such as existing medical conditions, allergies and any medicines being taken.

Google is one of several groups trying to “democratize” health care by allowing people to access and take control of their health records. Others include Microsoft, which announced its Health Vault initiative last year, WebMD and Revolution Health Group, founded by AOL co-founder Steve Case.

People who sign up at Google Health can also import medical records from U.S. pharmacies and medical facilities that have signed on as partners, which so far include Longs Drug Stores, Walgreens Pharmacy, the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and several others.
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Google Health will be linked to some extent to other Google services, which could potentially also raise privacy or security concerns. For example, if a user creates a list of doctors’ contact information, the group of contacts will automatically appear in their Gmail account.

“Google Health is all about pulling together documents from your doctor’s office, labs and pharmacies to provide a holistic picture of your health,” said Google Vice President Marissa Mayer, who was joined by health industry professionals to launch the project at a press conference at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California.

Concerns about privacy and security are seen as a big hurdle. Google says it will store health data in servers that are more secure than those it uses for other services. Users will be able to decide who has access to their records and to revoke that access at any time.

The service is available initially only in the U.S. Google is talking to partners in Europe and Asia, but the service is more complex than others it offers, because of the sensitivity of the data and the number of partners involved, so it will take more time to be rolled out in other parts of the world, he said.

source:read
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Google Health Records System; When It’s Going To Release?

G-health

Internet giant Google previously announced Google Health would open its doors in 2008, but the company hasn’t offered any information on expanding its pilot program.

Google has announced it has embarked on a pilot project with the Cleveland Clinic which will involve Google storing the medical records of between 1,500 and 10,000 patients. Participation will be voluntary—patients must consent to having their records handled by Google’s new service. The Cleveland Clinic already operates its own electronic records system called MyChart; however, the Google service will make medical records available to patients using the same passwords they can use to access Google’s other services, like GMail. The records will include details about prescriptions, medical conditions, allergies, and the like, the patients can allow physicians and others to access at their discretion.

“By using the GData protocol already offered in many Google products, and supporting standards-based medical information formats like the Continuity of Care Record (CCR), our health efforts will help you access, store and communicate your health information,” wrote Alan Newberger, an engineer on Google’s health team. “Above all, health data will remain yours—private and confidential. Only you have control over when to share it with family members and health providers.”

Google isn’t the only major computing company looking at health information: Microsoft announced its own HealthVault program late last year, aiming to provide health information as well as secure access to medical records.

 

source:digitaltrends