Buzz
A recent concerning collaboration involves Google and Ascension, a Catholic hospital network. Through this partnership, Google gains access to personal patient information, including names and medical histories. The goal is to build a system that can autonomously recommend tests, treatments, or care modifications. Google is motivated by the potential to sell this system to other hospitals, while the health system is eager to use it to analyze data, uncover additional tests that might be needed, and explore new ways to generate more revenue, as reported by the Wall Street Journal.
Unlike with many apps where you can opt out or uninstall, hospital algorithms don’t provide that option. Health systems are not required to obtain your consent before sharing your data with a third party, as long as they follow HIPAA's privacy and security rules. Additionally, they can use third-party algorithms within their own systems without needing explicit permission.
In cases where companies are sharing more of your data than you’re comfortable with, there’s usually a way to uninstall the app or opt out. However, with hospital algorithms, the situation is different. Health systems can share your data and implement third-party algorithms without asking for your permission, as long as they adhere to HIPAA’s regulations regarding privacy and security.
The unsettling reality is that our personal and medical data exists in a world of its own behind the scenes. Given that many medical institutions are part of expansive health systems that analyze data to reduce costs, even your local doctor's office is probably connected to a health network that shares data in some form.
