Topic: Google accessing healthcare data of millions of Americans

[Pandora]

Fury as it emerges Google is working on a top secret project with access to millions of Americans' health data including lab tests and diagnoses - but patients and doctors have not been told

... The Wall Street Journal first reported on Monday that the company has teamed up with Ascension, the second largest healthcare services company in the country, for a project that was being code-named Nightingale.

Within hours of the Journal's report, the two companies announced the collaboration in a press release where they revealed that Ascension's data will move onto Google's Cloud platform. 

Google will now have access to patients' test results, diagnoses and hospitalizations to give them a full digital health history.

... According to the Journal's report, Google is using the information to inform new design software that will rely heavily on artificial intelligence.

Its purpose will be to 'zero in on individual patients to suggest changes to their care.'

A Google spokesperson said the project is legal.

Of course it's legal, thanks to HIPAA -- the company, Ascencion, issued a press release:

... At the end of the release, the company said: 'All work related to Ascension’s engagement with Google is HIPAA compliant and underpinned by a robust data security and protection effort and adherence to Ascension’s strict requirements for data handling.'

The practice is legal under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 which allows hospitals to share patients' medical data with business partners on the condition that it is used to 'help the entity carry out its healthcare functions.'

Blood boiling here.  Lousy sonsabitches.

[Libertas]

As they are fond of saying at WRSA...we are nearing spicy time...



Their flag and its bearers should be treated properly...douse it in gasoline, wrap it around their neck...and light it!