Ronald Williams, speaking at MIT’s CIO Symposium, gave a tepid endorsement of the recently-launched service Google Health.
IDG News Service reports that Williams began by praising Google Health and any system that reduced reliance on paper records.
But what the software companies don’t have, he asserted, is an “interest in improving the system or looking for gaps in care. When the data goes there, it is really static and stored.”
Williams argued that those efforts cannot compare to Aetna’s in-house customer records portal, the CareEngine System, which launched in 2006.
He called the system Aetna’s “secret sauce.” It compiles member data from sources such as medical, pharmacy and lab claims, then compares it against a database of medical literature and research in an attempt to spot potential problems and need for additional care. The system generates alerts to patients and physicians regarding such findings.
That’s an absurd criticism.
Even now, Google and its partners analyze whatever data you enter to help you get better care. The system checks for interactions among your medications, tracks your vaccinations and calculates your risk of heart problems.
As the program evolves, it’s hard to see why Google won’t add whatever analytic features come with Aetna’s system. And of course, people will be able to keep getting that information from Google even if they switch insurers.
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