Londoner's Diary - Evening Standard 28/07/09
Interesting battle in the press this week between David Davis and Google regarding Personal Health Care Records following David Cameron’s comment that private organisations, such as Microsoft and Google, could provide the service that the NHS Patient Records plan.
Both Google and Microsoft claim that
they have ‘good track records on privacy’ which I have no reason to contest
albeit that the perception in the market may be different. I don’t wish to
appear xenophobic about this but I would not be comfortable having my medical
records stored outside of the UK under their Terms & Conditions
over which I have no legal right of access or protection of the Data Protection
Act or European Human Rights Directives.
I do understand, correct me if I’m
wrong, that the NHS have declared that personal medical records (a huge and worthy task) held on their
central database (owned by the Secretary of State evidently) will be available not only to medical professionals but also
sold to private organisations. They have also declared that patients will have the right to 'opt out' which poses the question - Where to?
What I would like is the ability
to:
- Maintain and
synchronise a copy of my NHS medical data in my own personal data
silo.
- Be able to add other health provider data such as BUPA, Dentist, Chiropractor, etc.
- Include health related information such as diets and exercise regimes.
- Be able to publish my
‘In Case of Emergency’ details as appropriate including my Blood and Organ Donor
wishes and permissions.
- Allow trusted
professionals, such as my GP and Dentist, to write to my
data in a format that I can read or share but NOT necessarily change.
- Share relevant health
data with appropriate third parties such as insurance companies, employers,
etc.
- Offer access to my
anonymous medical records to medical research companies and charities if
appropriate.
- Offer access to my
anonymous medical records to commercial organisations such as pharmaceutical
companies in exchange for a fee (which I may choose to donate to a
charity).
- Know that I have access
to my medical records and prescriptions at anytime, anywhere.
- Grant access to my next
of kin and carers (e.g. an elderly patient to their
children).
- Know that I have an
audit trail of all, changes, updates, permissions and accesses to my
records.
- Know that all of this is securely encrypted, protected and stored in accordance with my privacy requirements and that compliance with my rights under DPA are enforced.
PAOGA, a British company, could
provide this HRM (Healthcare Relationship Management) tools and service for individuals
who are concerned about privacy - PAOGAhealth.
