Steve Ellis

Who would I trust to host my Personal Health Record?

Not Google, who launched Google Health Beta on Monday this week. Check it out here. eHealth Insider has a report. Mashable has a review too

Would I trust Google with my records? Sorry, no. Probably not Microsoft either, who have their own approach in HealthVault. So its not personal to Google.

The evolution of the Personal Health Record is an interesting marketplace, currently attracting lots of new participants arriving from different sectors each looking to undertake a pre-emptive land grab. As a marketer, the most interesting question is: who can best solve the trust issue?

The problem is one of both trust and intent.

You are asking me to give my personal health information to the world's leading search provider?  Perhaps I know too much about the business model but its just too counter-intuitive. Noooo.

I'd also be uncomfortable with the jurisdiction issues raised by my personal data being subject to US privacy laws (most of the players here are US corporations). In most things I'm not fussy and wouldn't consider the legal smallprint, in this I would and I suspect the 'being local' and legal issues will be a significant barrier to achieving trust.

Or perhaps one of these new players will simply overcome the question of trust by providing such a compelling service and benefits that consumers jump in without a second thought, suspending any misgivings they might have, in exchange for a quick and easy fix to their problem.

So, a bit like search then...

Published 20 May 2008 by Steve
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Comments

 

John Whelan said:

I thnik if it was a matter or life and death you would not have the luxury of taking such a high minded view.
May 28, 2008 16:25
 

Steve said:

John: In practice, I'm not sure it'd work like that,

Carrying on this general discussion, Richard Holway added some more commentary - http://hotviews.blogspot.com/2008/05/patient-records.html -
and Ovum ran an article in their Straight Talk service, helpfully repeated - http://www.ovum.com/news/euronews.asp?id=7010 - without the need for a subscription.
June 2, 2008 08:08
 

Steve Ellis said:

My journey into healthcare IT continues. Couple of things going on:

Microsoft fills in some of the...
June 19, 2008 23:28

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