The Trump administration is advancing initiatives encouraging millions of Americans to submit personal health data and medical records to new applications and systems managed by private tech firms, aiming to enhance the accessibility of health records and wellness monitoring.
Donald Trump is anticipated to announce the East Room initiative on Wednesday afternoon. This event will feature leaders from over 60 companies, including major tech giants like Google and Amazon, alongside prominent hospital systems such as the Cleveland Clinic.
The focus of the new system will be on diabetes and weight management, using conversational AI to assist patients, and providing digital tools like QR codes and apps for patient registration and medication tracking.
This initiative is spearheaded by an administration that openly shares highly sensitive data about Americans, pushing the limits of legal boundaries, with the hope that such medical information will remain confidential while improving convenience in the doctor’s office.
“There are substantial ethical and legal concerns,” noted Lawrence Gostin, a law professor at Georgetown University with expertise in public health. “Patients across the U.S. should be significantly concerned about how their medical records may be used to their detriment and that of their families.”
Officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), responsible for maintaining this system, emphasize the importance of choosing to share medical records and data to ensure patient safety.
These officials expressed the need for a system that allows patients to access their records easily, eliminating traditional obstacles like the use of fax machines that previously hindered this process.
“We currently possess tools and information that can enhance patient outcomes and healthcare experiences,” stated Dr. Mehmet Oz, CMS administrator, on Wednesday. The CMS already holds data on over 140 million Americans enrolled in Medicare and Medicaid.
Noom, a well-known weight loss and fitness subscription service participating in the initiative, will be able to access medical records following the anticipated launch of the system early next year.
This access may include lab results or medical tests that the app can leverage to generate AI-driven insights to assist users in weight loss, according to CEO Geoff Cook’s comments to The Associated Press. Apps and health systems will also have access to competitors’ information. For instance, Noom will grant access to users’ data from Apple Health.
“Currently, we have a lot of siloed data,” Cook remarked.
Tomislav Michaljevic, CEO of the Cleveland Clinic, noted that patients traveling for treatment often struggle to compile their medical records from various providers. He conveyed that the new system would eradicate this barrier, preventing delays in treatment and ensuring accurate diagnoses by providing complete medical histories.
Mihaljevic added that data from the health app is now readily accessible to doctors, aiding in the management of obesity and other chronic conditions, including tracking patients’ dietary habits and physical activity levels.
“These apps provide valuable insights into a patient’s health between doctor visits,” he emphasized.
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CMS also offers a selection of Medicare.gov apps aimed at aiding individuals in managing chronic illnesses, selecting healthcare providers, and choosing insurance plans.
Digital privacy advocates are doubtful about the safety of patients’ data storage.
The federal government has done very little to regulate health applications and telehealth services, according to Jeffrey Chester of the Center for Digital Democracy.
This new initiative is poised to expand the pool of patient information accessible to both the federal government and high-tech firms. Medical records often contain sensitive data that includes patient-doctor conversations and notes on issues like substance abuse and mental health history.
“This initiative represents a gateway for the further use and commercialization of sensitive personal health data,” Chester commented.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and those in his circle are also advocates for wearable devices that monitor health and telehealth, promoting increased technological advancements in healthcare.
Kennedy has expressed a desire to gather more data from American medical records, previously mentioning intentions to utilize this data to research autism and vaccine safety. He has engaged with agency staff who possess backgrounds in health tech startups and businesses.
Source: www.theguardian.com
