Google Health Service Tested By Cleveland Clinic is Now Publicly Available

During a webcast Monday, Google Inc. announced the public launch of Google Health, which allows users to import records from a variety of care providers and pharmacies. The service was tested by a few thousand patient volunteers at the Cleveland Clinic.

Marissa Mayer, Google's VP of search products and user experience, unveiled Google Health at their Search Factory Tour on Monday.

"It's a really exciting day for us. We're really happy to be able to offer this service to all our users," said Mayer.

The new service will allow patients to take a more active role in their health care, by being able to look at their own medical records. For patients who see multiple doctors, it may even simplify the process of remembering things such as which physician prescribed what, when you broke your wrist, and so on. And if you change doctors, you've still got your medical records to take with you to the next one.

It sounds great, doesn't it? I mean, who hasn't wanted to sneak a peek at their medical records?

Google says that they've put "strong privacy policies in place to keep your information safe and private," which is supposed to make us feel better about signing up for the service. And while I'm sure that Google will do everything they can to make sure our health records are safe and secure, there's always the off-chance that some kind of security breach could occur.

Google also indicates that any of the information stored in Google Health is NOT covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, which means they aren't subject to the laws HIPPAA put in place:

From the Terms of Service:

4. Use of Your Information

If you create, transmit, or display health or other information while using Google Health, you may provide only information that you own or have the right to use. When you provide your information through Google Health, you give Google a license to use and distribute it in connection with Google Health and other Google services. However, Google may only use health information you provide as permitted by the Google Health Privacy Policy, your Sharing Authorization, and applicable law. Google is not a “covered entity” under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 and the regulations promulgated thereunder (”HIPAA”). As a result, HIPAA does not apply to the transmission of health information by Google to any third party.

So as with anything, it's a matter of trust. Do you trust Google to keep your information safe, and not share it with anyone? If you do, sign up. If not, don't.

Google has already forged partnerships with a number of health care providers and institutions, but still have thousands more to form. Amongst those already on board are: Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Cleveland Clinic MyChart, Longs Drug Stores, Medco, MinuteClinic from CVS Caremark, Quest Diagnostics, RxAmerica, and Walgreens Pharmacy. Expect many more in the health industry to jump on board soon.