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Google Health: What you need to know
By Ben Wasserman
May 19, 2008 - 4:40:34 PM

1) What is Google health?

Google Health is a Google online service available at www.google.com/health.  With this service, you can keep his doctors up-to-date on your medical records, let doctors share lab test results and keep the medical records in a place without risking of losing them because of a move, change in jobs or health insurance.

2) How safe is Google Health?

The security of your medical records is what the current security technology can provide.  As for the privacy, Google has a privacy policy saying that "You control who can access your personal health information"; “Google will not sell, rent, or share your information (identified or de-identified) without your explicit consent, except in the limited situations described in the Google Privacy Policy, such as when Google believes it is required to do so by law."; and "You can completely delete your information at any time."

30 What are the features of Google Health?

Google says it clear on its web site that with Google health, you can build online health profiles, import medical records from hospitals and pharmacies, learning about health issue and find helpful resources, search for doctors and hospitals and connect to online health service.

4) What does Google do to ensure the Google Health would maximally benefit users?

Google consults the healthcare industry and enlists healthcare experts from provider organizations, consumer and disease-based groups, physician organizations, research institutions, policy foundations, and other fields as members of the Google Health Advisory Council. This is to help Google solve problems both patients and doctors may have to face.

5) What companies have joined Google health as partners?

From what can be seen from the Google website, Google Health has acquired partnership with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, The Cleveland Clinic, Longs Drugs, Medco Health Solutions, Quest Diagnostics, RxAmerica, Walgreens, SafeMed, and Healthgrades.  It is unknown whether there are other companies that have not been listed on its website.

6) Where can I find more information about the service that addresses users’ concerns?

Google publishes a set of questions and answers about its Google Health service.  Interested readers may read the frequently asked questions at https://www.google.com/health/html/faq.html.