Google Health

[mrsswordfisherman]

There is a very good way to manage your health information. Try Google Health

Sign up for a google account if you don't already have one and set up your personal health profile.

You can add in conditions, medications, procedures, test results etc which can be printed out or shared online with your doctors or health care professionals.

Most of us already manage our finances and other information electronically and the recent recommendations to the government on e health have directed that we will all have an electronic shared record within the next few years. Our personal identifier number will be issued next year.

Try it out and save yourself lots of time when visiting a new doctor

mrsswordfisherman

[pelican]

Google like so many other sites has security issues now and no doubt in the future. We have banks who currently can't keep their sites and accounts secure even using biometrics and dongles.

To place all your personal details in one spot is in my opinion asking for trouble and allowing other access remotely to that data is dangerous especially in regard to identity theft. To do it on a website that is not controlled fully by an entity iin Australia under Australian law would worry me more. It can be the site, your pc , the pc you are using or any other number of security issues.

Like facebook and all the other things on the net they are good if used as intended but so few people are literate enough to read the conditions and limitations and use them properly.

For example - If that section of Google is later sold off and a life insurer or a company who supplies a service like the CRA ( credit reference association) that data may possible be used to discriminate against you in regards to insurance premiums of possible insurance , access to some care etc etc.

I think the government system will be a big enough issue in regards to privacy and security without tempting all your info to a outside party. That will be one to watch to see if there is really huge gains in care and effeciency and if they get the protocols on who can access/ edit the info correct ( that is doubtful)

There is programs on freeware or buyware avaliable that allow all data to be placed into it that can be kept secure on a PC or deleted after printing and they are also used for house insurance and so on. Haven't looked for ages but am sure they still exist.

Just pointing out there is 2 sides to personal data online and as you have probably guess I am not a supporter in most cases.

[mrsswordfisherman]

Google like so many other sites has security issues now and no doubt in the future. We have banks who currently can't keep their sites and accounts secure even using biometrics and dongles.

To place all your personal details in one spot is in my opinion asking for trouble and allowing other access remotely to that data is dangerous especially in regard to identity theft. To do it on a website that is not controlled fully by an entity iin Australia under Australian law would worry me more. It can be the site, your pc , the pc you are using or any other number of security issues.

Like facebook and all the other things on the net they are good if used as intended but so few people are literate enough to read the conditions and limitations and use them properly.

For example - If that section of Google is later sold off and a life insurer or a company who supplies a service like the CRA ( credit reference association) that data may possible be used to discriminate against you in regards to insurance premiums of possible insurance , access to some care etc etc.

I think the government system will be a big enough issue in regards to privacy and security without tempting all your info to a outside party. That will be one to watch to see if there is really huge gains in care and effeciency and if they get the protocols on who can access/ edit the info correct ( that is doubtful)

There is programs on freeware or buyware avaliable that allow all data to be placed into it that can be kept secure on a PC or deleted after printing and they are also used for house insurance and so on. Haven't looked for ages but am sure they still exist.

Just pointing out there is 2 sides to personal data online and as you have probably guess I am not a supporter in most cases.

Thanks for your comments and they are shared by many. As a health informatician who is on several working parties dealing with the privacy and security issues you mention I could answer most of your concerns, however this is not really the forum to do so. I will send you some links to do some research if you wish. Someone like you would be great on our Consumers Forums

I was at a symposium just yesterday at the uni and the way our health information is going to be managed is quite different. It is already proven that outcomes of care are directly influenced by the efficiency in the management of the health data. The big difference will be that the person owns the data and controls who can access it. One has controls over viewing, editing etc

The problems in our hospital system are largely due to lack of communication and as a nurse I can attest to that. So many times a patient comes in that is unable to give us a history. Access to their health histories gives us the clinicians all the clues we need to get the right treatment to them in a timely manner. Very soon you will be using e-prescriptions. You may go on a holiday to QLD and if you get sick the treating practitioner will pull up your details, make an e-prescription and away you go. When you return to Sydney and go to your favourite pharmacist, he will pull up your script and dispense it. This will also stop the doctor hoppers.

This is the age of technology and yes, there is much work to be done. The young folk of today are already on this journey. For those of you that are ready, jump onboard and become informed.

This post was made as a way of sharing information with others and not to provoke discussion really. It is very complex and best handled on other forums. If anyone would like to join those areas please pm me.

Lets get back to fishing

mrsswordfisherman

[Catchin Jack]

Let's hope this "new" system improves healthcare, i am an ex nurse who worked in the public health system and to be honest i'd feel safer being treated by a vet rather some someone from a public hospital, yes animals are treated better and more humanely.

It's sad when doctors, well that's what they call themselves come to the nurses asking how the patient should be treated, and to add also that money is more important than you and policies and proceedures and guidelines that aren't always right and the nurse knows it but must abide by it (studies have shown, based on a few thousand people that the rest of humanity is the same as those few thousand studied), bit like fishing studies, wrong half the time.

God bless fishing, best health remedy around haha.

Google health looks good btw.

Cheers,

Leo