It turns out that CVS Caremark has committed to provide prescription records for downloading to Google Health. That's encouraging, suggesting that health providers might ease a new splintering of our medical data, which is already fragmented among many providers, insurers, employers, and governments.
CVS, which owns a large drugstore chain, also will allow prescription data downloads to Microsoft's HealthVault. The agreements link it to the two better-known efforts to give consumers more control over health records. And it's a step better than Walgreens, which so far has committed only to downloads to Google Health.
But the industry has much work ahead to ease data exchange. No word, for example, from either chain about partnerships with Dossia. That new site will store health records for employees at a number of large companies.
And no word from the thousands of other health providers about how data might be shared with the scores of storage sites cropping up. It's a difficult issue, particularly amid sensitive privacy concerns.
arhiderrr of DE @ Feb 28, 2009 09:06:45 AM
Daniel David of NM @ Jul 03, 2008 18:41:01 PM