The news came out this week about sharing Google Health Records, so it was time I opened up my account and do a little research and testing.
Why Use a PHR – Because It is there and it stands to help decrease medical errors
The first item as hand was to check out the process and see how “sharing” works. In the example below I shared my files with myself for demonstration purposes. Notice I did not use a Gmail account to share, however, when you choose to share, the other individual will need to create a Gmail account to be able to view the files. It expires in 30 days if not answered.
This is the email notice I received, and again it states that I need to establish a Gmail account so everything can be tracked through the system.
I also decided to create another profile, which I called “test relative” and this is now a permanent part of my records with Google Health, but I can delete the profile at any time as well.
In addition some new vendor services have been added. Epocrates has added a service whereby you can register to authorize your physician to view your Google Health Account. Your physician will need to supply you with an Epocrates ID for you to use. Many physicians are familiar and already set up with Epocrates. I have used the free version for years on my cell phone to check insurance coverage, alternative generic drugs, etc. just so I have the information with me at all times, and this can be done from the web as well.
I also have a Quick Look Up for Epocrates on the blog, so if you are on the site, it’s a free and quick look up service for medications
You can find the quick look up window underneath the quick links for $4.00 Generic Drugs.
In addition, another vendor of interest is Unival, which will help you get your health records organized and put them into a Google Health format. This is useful in take an image of a document or perhaps a pdf file and having someone organize it for you so the information can be shared and viewed by others.
You can also use your Google Health Account to find clinical trials, based on the records contained in your Google Health Account. This is nice and can be a timesaver instead of having to search the entire US Gov directory and it is specific to the conditions and current medications you are taking which may qualify or disqualify you for a trial, again saving time and not having to figure all of this out on your own.
In addition, if you want to just run a short check without registering and using your Google Health Records, I have a widget on the blog that works pretty good. It is plain and simple, just put the condition in, select a state and go. Once the next screen opens you will be able to modify your search and take advantage of some advanced preferences as well. Again, the ideal situation is to connect your Google Health account to avoid the searching process, but either way you can find the information you are looking for with Clinical Trials. If you are an investigator, there’s a section to sign up as well to allow patients the opportunity to connect, at their option.
NEPSI, the free e-prescribing service for physicians will also allow you to import your medications, and your physician will need to be set up to use it, this is a good tool for offices who are not using electronic medical records yet and are without a software solution. Your doctor will need to give you a PIN number to use once he/she has an account established and is using e-prescribing.
There’s a permanent link on my site to enable physicians to get started.
I added some additional links to my account today, one in particular is the Patient Assistance link, where I can get help and find free drugs if I need them. With the cost of pharmaceuticals today, this is probably a good site to think about adding and I didn’t need to establish an account, it is just there although there is an option to do so for additional services for free.
You can also follow Patient Assist on Twitter for updates and announcements.
Here are my 2 new connected profiles with Google Health.
The second account I added, Destination RX will help me find pharmacies, compare prices, etc. so perhaps a good reference to have connected.
I added a medication to my Google Health account that may conflict with a medication I am currently taking, thus I have received an alert to be sure and check with my doctor. This was a very simple example using penicillin and keflex as they are both from the same family of drugs and put down that I was allergic to penicillin.
Below are a couple other links of interest to check out.
Import Medical Records to Google Health
This is Google’s privacy statement as posted with their personal health records.
Google Health - Privacy Information
Medical Quack featured on Reuters last year talking about Google Health.
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