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Apple Adds Medical Records Feature For iPhone (cnbc.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the on-the-go dept.

On Wednesday, Apple released the test version of a new product that lets users download their health records, store them safely and show them to a doctor, caregiver or friend. "We view the future as consumers owning their own health data," Apple COO Jeff Williams said in an interview with CNBC. From the report: It all works when a user opens the iPhone's health app, navigates to the health record section, and, on the new tool, adds a health provider. From there, the user taps to connect to Apple's software system and data start streaming into the service. Patients will get notified via an alert if new information becomes available. In June, CNBC first reported on Apple's plans, including early discussions with top U.S. hospitals. The company confirmed that it has contracts with about a dozen hospitals across the country, including Cedars-Sinai, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Penn Medicine and the University of California, San Diego. The medical information available will include allergies, conditions, immunizations, lab results, medications, procedures and vitals. The information is encrypted and protected through a user's iPhone passcode.

101 comments

  1. Entrapment by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Medical marijuana records will mean there is a reasonable suspicion to open EVERYONE'S phone.
     
    Think hard and long about it.

    1. Re:Entrapment by sunking2 · · Score: 1

      Not sure you know what Entrapment means other than it was a movie and CZJ has an amazing ass in it.

    2. Re:Entrapment by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Not sure you know what Entrapment means other than it was a movie and CZJ has an amazing ass in it.

      Yes, and that ass has an amazing accent.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    3. Re:Entrapment by kenh · · Score: 1

      Think hard and long about it.

      I did, Your argument makes no sense.

      Possession of photographs of under-age children engaged in sexual activities is a crime, has been for a long time. For the past decade or two people have been able to store photos on their phone. The ability to store possibly incriminating photos on your phone does NOT mean the police have a "reasonable suspicion to open EVERYONE'S phone" to see if they have child sex photos on them.

      The possibility that evidence exists somewhere - on a device, in a drawer, etc. - does not give the police probable cause to search that drawer, device, etc.

      --
      Ken
  2. Re:Entrapment #HillaryForPrison by Betty+Crocker · · Score: 0

    Except that's not how the law works. HIPAA makes it *very* hard for cops to use this kind of information against you. It CAN be done, but there are paths of lesser resistance.

  3. We have all your info, now by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    NT

  4. Apple's reaction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Now apple gets to tout that they need flawless encryption to prevent being accused of HIPPA violations!
    Playing one agency of the government against the other ought to be fun.

    1. Re: Apple's reaction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Size of Tim Cock's butthole record will be shared with the rest of you iFaggets.

    2. Re:Apple's reaction by Known+Nutter · · Score: 2

      * HIPAA https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/inde...

      --
      Beware of the Leopard.
  5. No by willoughby · · Score: 3, Insightful

    So Apple want me to use the same passcode for both my phone access and my medical records? There's no way I'd even consider doing that.

    1. Re:No by vux984 · · Score: 5, Interesting

      This actually the biggest issue I have as well. We need to be able to easily create and manage layers of security within our phones.

      I'm fine with a simple convenient pin or fingerprint to unlock my phone to place a call, check sms, get directions, use the pay parking app, etc.

      But I'd like to have to enter a more secure passphrase to access work email, open documents, view pictures, etc.

      And perhaps have something even above that for banking, or health records.

      Having a secure passphrase to answer the phone makes the phone unusable. And having anything really important protected by a 4 digit code isn't acceptable, so i can't have anything important on my phone as a result.

    2. Re:No by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 2

      And having anything really important protected by a 4 digit code isn't acceptable, so i can't have anything important on my phone as a result.

      What phone do you have which only offers the choice of a 4-digit lock code? It’s obviously not an iPhone - even the default is 6 digits, and you can choose a pass phrase that’s as arbitrarily hard as you’d like.

      Additionally, there are some options that let you select what TouchID can and can’t be used to unlock. I’ll be curious to see if your health information is one of them in this new beta.

      --
      #DeleteChrome
    3. Re:No by vux984 · · Score: 1

      What phone do you have which only offers the choice of a 4-digit lock code? Itâ(TM)s obviously not an iPhone - even the default is 6 digits, and you can choose a pass phrase thatâ(TM)s as arbitrarily hard as youâ(TM)d like.

      My phone allows an arbitrarily long passphrase. That isn't the problem. However if I set one, then I have to enter it before I can send my wife a text like "I'm running late", or look up where the nearest gas station is. That makes the phone unusable to me.

      So I have a short passphrase that is convenient to enter often.

      But as a result of that decision, I can't keep anything important on my phone at all, because if I did the only thing that stands between the world and the important stuff is a short simple passphrase. That is unacceptable.

      If my phone had multiple 'levels' then I could pick which apps / just needed the simple passphrase, and which needed the good one.

      "Additionally, there are some options that let you select what TouchID can and canâ(TM)t be used to unlock"

      And face-unlock. Yeah... apple *sort* of has that shit worked out... very sort of. Touchid has law enforcement issues since its less decided whether they can compel you to unlock your phone with your fingerprint, and face-unlock is even worse ... plus it doesn't work with sunglasses, doesn't work with a headset with a mic and has the same law enforcement issues. I just have that stuff disabled most of the time.

    4. Re:No by Dog-Cow · · Score: 1

      Which piece-of-shit phone requires unlocking to answer a call?

    5. Re:No by Dog-Cow · · Score: 2

      I send WhatsApp messages to my wife every day without unlocking my phone. You need a better phone, or you need an education.

    6. Re:No by thegarbz · · Score: 1

      Tell me about it. My phone is far more important than that!

    7. Re:No by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      I'd be more worried about having that data in iCloud. Celebrities' private photos leaking was bad enough, now imagine the next wave of celebrity medical record leaks.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    8. Re:No by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 1

      I'm surprised this hasn't even been properly tackled on Windows desktops, which are often shared and/or left unlocked. Plenty of cases where you'd want to encrypt parts of the file system (not entire drives) and protect them with a password. Googling found me plenty of people asking for something similar yet no actual solutions.

      --
      If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
    9. Re:No by kenh · · Score: 1

      But I'd like to have to enter a more secure passphrase to access work email, open documents, view pictures, etc.

      And perhaps have something even above that for banking, or health records.

      Yes, it should be really, really hard for third-parties - like doctors in the ER - to gain access to your medical records, that's a great idea.

      --
      Ken
    10. Re:No by ColdWetDog · · Score: 1

      1password or another password manager does this. I keep my med list / problem list in a file in 1password. Assuming I'm conscious enough to get my finger on the app, I can show medical providers that information. If' I'm that out of it, most of that material is irrelevant.

      Even allergies aren't all that important in a life or death situation. Nice to know, but we can work around them.

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    11. Re:No by ColdWetDog · · Score: 1

      Again, this is pretty overrated as a concept. It's nice to know, but **usually** isn't a deal breaker. If you're that sick that you can't reply, we don't need what meds you get a rash on..

      The chances of you ending up in the ER critically ill are much less than the chances that some person or agency will want to use that information in a nefarious fashion.

      Nothing is certain, there are always exceptions, Murphy was an optimist.

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    12. Re:No by tlhIngan · · Score: 1

      My phone allows an arbitrarily long passphrase. That isn't the problem. However if I set one, then I have to enter it before I can send my wife a text like "I'm running late", or look up where the nearest gas station is. That makes the phone unusable to me.

      That's why it was discovered over 50% of people did not put a PIN on their phones - because having to enter it to do those things was a huge PITA.

      It's why we have fingerprint scanners and pattern unlocks etc. to make it easier and quicker to unlock.

      And face-unlock. Yeah... apple *sort* of has that shit worked out... very sort of. Touchid has law enforcement issues since its less decided whether they can compel you to unlock your phone with your fingerprint, and face-unlock is even worse ... plus it doesn't work with sunglasses, doesn't work with a headset with a mic and has the same law enforcement issues. I just have that stuff disabled most of the time.

      That's why there is emergency mode. Click the power button 5 times (it's trivially easy to do in under a second and you can do it while the phone is in your pocket) and poof, biometric authentication is disabled until someone successfully uses the passcode.

      And it can work with sunglasses, if they allow IR through. Suprisingly, most do, since IR is at the opposite end of the spectrum that is blocked. Ditto headsets.

    13. Re:No by vux984 · · Score: 1

      First WhatsApps is owned by facebook. I wouldn't touch that app.

      Second, the only functionality I'm aware of is the ability to respond to a message via the notification screen. Ie... the only way to send a message without unlocking is to reply to one you have received first. That's hardly a solution.

      If I'm mistaken and you are using different functionality, by all means, go ahead, please educate me.

      Now, for my part, that's not even useful. I have it set that the notifications won't display content until the phone is unlocked, you know, because I give a shit about security; and the last thing in the world I need is for 2-factor SMS notifications to be readable by anyone with my phone, even if they can't get into it. Or email messages which might contain something confidential, etc... so no thanks.

      I might be ok, with whitelisting notifications from some contacts, to show on the screen before unlocking, but definitely not for most.

    14. Re:No by vux984 · · Score: 1

      I was exaggerating slightly. I can answer a call, i can take a picture (but cant look at the gallery). I can call 911. I can see the time. So I can do a few things without unlocking, and that's fine.

      But the point was that there's a bunch of things I want to be able to do with a simple lock; because I want it to be convenient. And there's a few tings I want to do with a hard lock.

      Right now, I can either put everything behind a hard lock, or everything behind an easy lock. I choose an easy phrase, because a hard phrase would make the phone entirely worthless; but that decision means I avoid putting important things on it, because the easy lock isn't sufficient to protect them.

  6. We view the future . . . by jblues · · Score: 1

    We view the future as Apple owning your health data, Apple COO Jeff Williams said, followed by "Ah fuck! Consumers! Consumers! How many fucking times did we rehearse this!?". He then stamped his foot, and, visibly flustered, asked if he could do that line again.

    --
    If it acquires resources on instantiation like a duck, then its a shared_ptr<Duck>
    1. Re:We view the future . . . by jblues · · Score: 1

      Siri then piped up on the COO's iPhone X, surplus model, announcing in her cool and precise diction: "Jeff, don't worry . . . in 2025, Apple will own the consumers too, so your statement remains correct".

      The previously only flustered COO now turned bright red, and hurriedly stuffed the iPhone into his pants, before trying to proceed with the interview. "Oh Jeff . . . . ", Siri's muffled voice could be heard to say, "I found 15 billion, 345 million, 625 thousand, 102 advertisements for penis enhancement. Would you like to view them now?"

      --
      If it acquires resources on instantiation like a duck, then its a shared_ptr<Duck>
    2. Re:We view the future . . . by bagofbeans · · Score: 1

      "We view the future as consumers owning their own health data," Apple COO Jeff Williams said

      Perhaps he means "owning" because they'll be buying it, through iHealthPortal.

    3. Re:We view the future . . . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No... that's not what's happening here. The data is stored locally on your device, not sent to Apple.

    4. Re:We view the future . . . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The data is stored locally on your device, not sent to Apple, or so Apple are claiming.

      TFTFY.

    5. Re:We view the future . . . by Dog-Cow · · Score: 1

      Because Apple wants to be shut down over publicly violating HIPAA. Perhaps you think you're cute, but you're actually a moron and a bigot.

  7. How bout NO! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    If there is going to be some kind of exchange of patient records between DRs and patients, it needs to be some standard open format. Not apple's proprietary system.

    Not to mention there is already enough with people self diagnosing on the web with the likes of WebMD and crackpot homeopathic sites, Last thing we need to do is empower this even more.

    Also how long till "apple approved" services can import this data, like WebMD above or other crackpot sites and we end up with some huge HIPPA related data leak.

    1. Re:How bout NO! by rupert.applin · · Score: 5, Interesting

      The solution is based on FHIR which is an open standard - as described here https://www.hl7.org/fhir/overv... "Healthcare records are increasingly becoming digitized. As patients move around the healthcare ecosystem, their electronic health records must be available, discoverable, and understandable. Further, to support automated clinical decision support and other machine-based processing, the data must also be structured and standardized. (See Coming digital challenges in healthcare) HL7 has been addressing these challenges by producing healthcare data exchange and information modeling standards for over 20 years. FHIR is a new specification based on emerging industry approaches, but informed by years of lessons around requirements, successes and challenges gained through defining and implementing HL7 v2 , HL7 v3 and the RIM, and CDA . FHIR can be used as a stand-alone data exchange standard, but can and will also be used in partnership with existing widely used standards."

    2. Re:How bout NO! by Dog-Cow · · Score: 1

      Facts have no place in the mind of an Anonymous bigot.

    3. Re:How bout NO! by kenh · · Score: 1

      Also how long till "apple approved" services can import this data, like WebMD above or other crackpot sites and we end up with some huge HIPPA related data leak.

      Your "opt-in" will remove any HIPPA concerns.

      --
      Ken
    4. Re:How bout NO! by jellomizer · · Score: 1

      HL7v2 Is widely used for system to system transmission, it is simply stated a Pipe (The standard has this as actually customizable) delimited file where the first 3 characters on each line define the columns for that section. So if the first 3 characters have PV1 it will contain Provider information, PID will have the Patient Identifiers...
      HL7v3 is XML Based version... This isn't widely used, while out for about a decade, the HL7 Protocol is firmly entrenched into most medical systems ecosystems.

      the CCD/CCA is an XML based format designed for sharing medical information across organization and to individuals, this contains information about the visit(s) what Meds they are on and Allergies, test results.... With a use of Style sheets XSLT it can be very human readable, however it can be imported into other systems as well.

      The real issue is the lack of following such standards, Health care vendors will not work together to make sure they are following the standards properly, and will often fill in wrong data into parts they may not need. Say they may use the PID Tribal affiliation column to store the patients Twitter account or email.

      What Apple is doing isn't hard at all. They just need to get a CCD sent to them and they will display it. The hard part is having the Health Care organization to send them the CCD as there will need to be a mountain of security measures to take place. And most of the IT Staff is working their buts off to remap most of the vendors non-standards.

      --
      If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    5. Re:How bout NO! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I have set up FHIR for our organization. Vendors that provide gateways to endpoints with patient data don't do any vetting of the people who are registering as app developers. The whole infrastructure is prime to be rife with apps that steal patient data and the end organizations have very little ability to block/mitigate it. We just ended up putting a legal disclaimer on the login page that said 'We are not responsible for what happens to your data once you access it this way'. This is what happens when government gets to dictate "progress" through financial incentives. Everyone chases the carrot (implement Meaningful Use targets) or else they get the stick (no money).

    6. Re:How bout NO! by ColdWetDog · · Score: 1

      It might be an 'open standard' but it's not a very standard standard. Implementations vary all over the map. I'm not even sure Apple is big enough to push everybody else around. Perhaps.

      Things ARE getting better in this respect. The big EHR vendors (and Apple) are trying to make this portal thing work.

      I'm not exactly sure that this is a good thing .....

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
  8. Too much trust by zferrini · · Score: 2

    Really? You think I would trust any COMPANY to guard any of my data. With the rate at which hackers can get into your phone (vendor doesn't matter) I don't bank nor allow any personal information on any device. I have been an IT Systems Engineer for 25 years and know these systems inside and out. Anyone trusting Apple or Google with your data is stupid beyond belief!

    1. Re:Too much trust by kenh · · Score: 1

      You think I would trust any COMPANY to guard any of my data.

      I think your complaint isn't so much with "any COMPANY" so much as the physical security of your personal device - your smartphone with your banking or medical history falling into the wrong hands. All the data you want to protect is already in the hands of a "COMPANY".

      --
      Ken
  9. Let patients / consumers own the responsibility by johnstrass1 · · Score: 1

    All the EMRs are a failure for two reasons : 1. interoperability does not exist (sending a CCDA yes not work) 2. patient data is not centralized. Maybe Apple is fixing this?

    1. Re:Let patients / consumers own the responsibility by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Of all my healthcare providers, only my optometrist can send me a CDA.

    2. Re:Let patients / consumers own the responsibility by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It would be fantastic if Apple were able to pull that off. I've long thought one of the biggest problems with medical records is that we might technically "own" our own records, we don't have the kind of control over them that comes with real ownership. Put them in the cloud, put DRM on them (one of the few good uses for DRM) and then put full access control in the hands of the patient (and their emergency contact(s) in case the patient is incapacitated.) Give me the ability to temporarily(!) grant access to my doctor with a full audit trail. If there is concern about the patient tampering with their own records, individually sign them with the doctors' private keys.

      I'm not a big fan of Apple (but even less of a fan of google) and I would hate for Apple to end up with a monopoly on medical records. But nobody is doing jackshit to get them right, its an absolute shitstorm of silos and suckass security. And absolutely nobody seems to GAF about patient ownership of their own records, at least Apple has a more consumer-centric focus than the rent-seeking idiots doing EMRs now.

    3. Re:Let patients / consumers own the responsibility by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But nobody is doing jackshit to get them right..And absolutely nobody seems to GAF about patient ownership of their own records,

      One should certainly not believe Apple at their word that they care either. FWIW there is a non-profit organization founded solely on the principal of people owning their health records.

    4. Re:Let patients / consumers own the responsibility by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > One should certainly not believe Apple at their word that they care either.

      The difference between apple everybody else doing EMRs is that Apple's customers are the patients.

    5. Re:Let patients / consumers own the responsibility by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bullshit. There has been standards the ability to transfer records between different software vendors for 3 years. If the ones you deal with haven't implemented it then that's THEIR fault. I have implemented it in our organization and we communicate patient data to and from different vendors all the time. Health Information Exchanges are rapidly popping up in every state as centralized hubs for information exchange between local/regional organizations. We also exchange records with multiple international locations.

    6. Re:Let patients / consumers own the responsibility by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      When it comes to patient data, Fuck Apple, Google, Microsoft and any other tech company. The only thing worse than The Fed dictating Meaningful Use targets would be if any of those companies got access to large quantities of patient records. It's already bad enough that Microsoft and Amazon have been given clearance to host HIPAA data in their clouds at the cost of security. All the hipster wannabe CEO/COOs that can't wait to say they are running in the cloud are going to lose patient data and fuck over anyone that was seen at any of their organizations and the government is just going to blink, shrug, and blame it on the 'evil' hackers.

    7. Re:Let patients / consumers own the responsibility by ColdWetDog · · Score: 1

      And what could *possibly* go wrong?

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    8. Re:Let patients / consumers own the responsibility by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The difference between apple everybody else doing EMRs is that Apple's customers are the patients.

      TFA suggests otherwise.
      "The company confirmed that it has contracts with about a dozen hospitals across the country, including Cedars-Sinai, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Penn Medicine and the University of California, San Diego."

      "

    9. Re:Let patients / consumers own the responsibility by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Aside from everything we know could go wrong?! Probably a whole lot more. At least currently all the direct communication is done through a phone book so all the participants are registered and verified. Stupid people will do stupid things with their data if they are put in charge/given access to it.

  10. Re:Entrapment #Visit Trump in the pokey, g'head by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll

    Except that's horseshit, the Fed doesn't recognize Marijuana as anything other than a Schedule I narcotic - not any allowably prescribed medicine. You're astroturfing for a traitor (Sessions or Trump, pick) who lied about his proposed policy.

    Don't worry, they'll both get the pokey before they die.

  11. I stopped reading at "store them safely"... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    lol.

    Not even "LOL".

    That’s all there is to say.

  12. Encryption by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    FBI says you donâ(TM)t need encryption, nothing on the phone that anyone would want or need to keep from another person as long as you are a law abiding citizen m.

  13. Now it makes sense by Jason1729 · · Score: 1

    Last week they announced hiring dozens of data mining experts and now they want your phone to store all your medical information. Now it all makes sense.

  14. I hope Facebook adds this feature soon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It would be marvellous for friends, family, potential employers and stalkers to be able to access my complete medical history.

  15. When I was diagnosed... by GerryGilmore · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ...with an AVM back in the late 1980s, I asked my neurologist what would happen to me if it popped and no one could access the great MRI pictures he'd taken of it. Basically, "too bad". All of you government haters can tune the fuck out right now when I say that ALL of our medical records SHOULD be on-line and available to ALL medical personnel when needed. Before you "privacy-uber-alles" types start getting *your* panties in a wad, there can easily be audit trails and other mechanisms (including SEVERE penalties for inappropriate access to same) to prevent abuse, and you ignore the "greater good". For me, I'd MUCH rather have the EMS personnel responding to my twitching, unconscious body know about my AVM and be able to respond with real, accurate info than worry that someone will find out I got the clap back in 1979. Fuck y'all! You don't want to participate? Fine, have an opt-out option. Me, sign me da fuck up!

    1. Re:When I was diagnosed... by johnstrass1 · · Score: 2

      What is there to hide, really?? 99% of people have absolutely uintetersting medical data. Moreover, 100% of drug companies already have access to your PHI / medical information because pharmacies and health insurance companies sell it.

    2. Re: When I was diagnosed... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      medical identity theft proves otberwise.

    3. Re:When I was diagnosed... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes. Hackers are very afraid of the severe penalties.

    4. Re:When I was diagnosed... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This is what medical bracelets were made for. I hear one guy even tattooed his DNR across his chest to make sure medical staff knew about it.

      Data, but under personal control.

      Severe penalties do no stop inappropriate access. They may lessen is somewhat, but they will not stop it all, humans are curious creatures by nature, and not all are smart enough not to get caught.

      But there is one silver lining here. WE get access to our own medical records, whenever WE want it. And we can take it to any other care provider. That can hopefully result in lower medical costs on higher end problems that one might see multiple specialists at different providers for. Heck, it makes getting a legit second opinion much easier if we have the test results for someone else to look at.

      I do worry that this is setting up for an even worse fiasco than the Experian one last year. Still waiting for the shoes to start dropping in warehouse-sized waves on that one, but it is coming.

    5. Re:When I was diagnosed... by Dorianny · · Score: 1

      Perhaps you don't care if everyone knows you "got the clap back in 1979," but you might not want everyone to know about your gender-reassignment surgery, your time at a mental health institution, your rehab stints, HIV+ status etc,etc

    6. Re:When I was diagnosed... by thegarbz · · Score: 2

      What part of "have an opt out" did you miss?

      For all the "taboo" things you think people care about, the vast majority of the population has no such misgivings about their medical records. A system that improves the general good for the overwhelmingly vast majority of the population is exactly the textbook use case for opt-out systems.

    7. Re:When I was diagnosed... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Its worth pointing out that if Paramedics were called to your unconscious twitching body I can guarantee you they will not be wasting any time messing around with an iPhone. There's next to nothing a Medic would be able to do in that situation other than administer oxygen, check glucose levels, basically they'll just "load and go". Some medics are able to administer thrombolytics like TNK, but that's a different scenario. Besides there are already items you can wear on your body such as bracelets that can notify EMS personnel of your medical condition. Paramedics are actually trained to look for such things. This concept is not likely going to be used in a true emergency setting.

    8. Re:When I was diagnosed... by kenh · · Score: 1

      For me, I'd MUCH rather have the EMS personnel responding to my twitching, unconscious body know about my AVM and be able to respond with real, accurate info than worry that someone will find out I got the clap back in 1979.

      And while you are lying there, twitching unconscious on the ground, how will the EMS personnel figure out your passcode/pin to access all that "real, accurate info" locked away on your smartphone? Get a medical alert bracelet, put a brief description of your health issue (AVM) and a QR code on it pointing to your online medical records - problem solved.

      --
      Ken
    9. Re:When I was diagnosed... by ColdWetDog · · Score: 1

      "Too bad" or "sucks to be them"? I can't imagine a situation where you would need MRI data (rather than the text report which your insurance company, their insurance company, the hospital, the radiologist and likely your little sister) has.

      If you 'popped' you Arteriovenous malformation or aneurysm or some other brain bubble, we'll do our own CT, thank you very much and ship you to a neurosurgeon who will do their own CT / MRI or whatever and decide what to do. If you're stable enough for the providers to attempt to get the old files, well, that's a good thing, no?

      The EMS team picking up your twitching, unconscious body cares not a whit that you've had a dozen MRIs. They're going to check your glucose, give you some Narcan and perhaps some Valium and russle you off to the nearest ER. They don't even much care about your name.

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    10. Re:When I was diagnosed... by ColdWetDog · · Score: 1

      Don't forget the 'Do Not Resuscitate' tattoo (in the appropriate circumstances, of course).

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    11. Re:When I was diagnosed... by Dorianny · · Score: 1

      Until of course everyone that has "opted out" is looked at with suspicion because the "vast majority" has nothing to hide

    12. Re:When I was diagnosed... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I would like to know that about you though. Why should people around you be deprived of the information that you are potentially dangerous for them?

  16. There's only one storage for my data: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    My small single-board home server. With a very tight whitelisting system. Controlling every data that goes in and out, and keeping track of who has what, and how trustworthy that person is regarding to handling it. Somebody who's not in my whitelist, can't even call me, or ring my door bell. (Yes, it takes into account cops and emergency services.)

    (Basically, I have my own CA, use no-compromises encryption, authenticate every incoming packet against a rule set, which includes trust levels, that results in a minimal set of permissions for available actions and data allowed to be sent out. And a database keeps track of who is how likely to know what. Where “who” also contains a “entire world” entry, for when one basically might upload it on the Internet.
    It is integrated with the door entry system, house security, DNS, the WWW, instant messaging, e-mail, phone and mobile phone calls, everything my mobile phone and PC and any other device does, any every portable thing containing data. Obviously all in well-separated virtual machines with VM<->metal firewalls that are integrated into the whitelist system as well, deciding what the VM can do. [Because VMs are not security solutions!])

    Oh, and yes, it's pointless, when a dozen spying agencies can just secretly enter my home anyway, or just use the backdoors in my hardware. But at least I’m ready for when I get to make my own FPGA from scratch, and have read the entirety of the hardware description code of the CPU that will go in there. I don't care how long of a wait it is.

    1. Re:There's only one storage for my data: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's amazing how small your dick is.

    2. Re:There's only one storage for my data: by kenh · · Score: 1

      Somebody who's not in my whitelist, can't even call me, or ring my door bell. (Yes, it takes into account cops and emergency services.)

      How, exactly, do you prevent a stranger from pressing your doorbell?

      It is integrated with the door entry system, house security, DNS, the WWW, instant messaging, e-mail, phone and mobile phone calls, everything my mobile phone and PC and any other device does, any every portable thing containing data. Obviously all in well-separated virtual machines with VMmetal firewalls that are integrated into the whitelist system as well, deciding what the VM can do. [Because VMs are not security solutions!])

      Wait, your super-secure, every piece of personal information/data server is attached to the public internet? Game Over, it can be hacked, period.

      --
      Ken
    3. Re:There's only one storage for my data: by Doctor+Memory · · Score: 1

      But at least I’m ready for when I get to make my own FPGA from scratch, and have read the entirety of the hardware description code of the CPU that will go in there. I don't care how long of a wait it is.

      Well, given that you appear to be about twelve years old, you should have plenty of time to wait.

      --
      Just junk food for thought...
  17. PDF Folder by dohzer · · Score: 1

    I have a folder containing PDFs for that.
    But calling it a "feature" sounds much nicer.

    1. Re:PDF Folder by kenh · · Score: 1

      How would a medical professional know to go thumbing through your smartphone when you are lying unconscious in the hospital? Do you happen to have a passcode/pin or other security mechanism the nurse would have to navigate through to access those records?

      --
      Ken
  18. Re:HILLARY will be IMPRISONED for TREASON/MURDER by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    as opposed to Koch funded SEO?

  19. another idiot by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't care how long of a wait it is.

    What a fucking idiot you are, with your dedication to technology you've undoubtedly neglected your heath, so you'll drop dead from poor health next week, and some poor slob will have to rip apart all your stupid useless junk and throw it in a dumpster

  20. What if you tell a cop HIPPA info is there. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And then they look anyways? For Covered entities and specified individuals who "knowingly" obtain or disclose individually identifiable health information the penalty is up to a year in prison. Could this be used as a weapon against cops?

  21. Re: Let patients / consumers own the responsibilit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The medical hardware suppliers have a strong track record of lock-in with data formats. How much is Apple paying them for this data,and why.

  22. Re: Let patients / consumers own the responsibilit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Exactly. We all know apple is in it for the money; they could not care less about any other aspect of this.

  23. so... now Apple will have all your med records by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What could POSSIBLY go wrong? It's all double-plus good, right?

    Who will they give, sell, trade, or "accidentally" leak them to?
    Will your health insurance costs mysteriously rise over the following years?
    Will you eventually find it harder to get employed?
    How many "great new services" will Apple roll this info into in the future without your consent?
    Will future potential spouses never consider you because they never meet you because their dating site searches screen out people with certain conditions?
    Will employers shy away from you because they paid Apple more money to do a search that included medical data and decided you might be not healthy enough to be depended upon?
    Will investors shy away from your startup because they pay extra to query this database and discover you might have a health issue?

    Do you really want to put more of your private life into gadgets you do not fully control and which can turn out to be quite hackable? Do you truly trust ANY multinational megacorp like Apple to not change their terms of service ever in the future? They all seem to change terms of service any time they find a way to make more money, and it's not like you have the option to say "no" to the changes and yet keep using their products/services.

    1. Re:so... now Apple will have all your med records by shilly · · Score: 2

      Sigh. Apple sells *devices*, not data. The records data sits on your devices and Apple doesn't get to see it. In fact, it's engineered so that Apple can't see it even if it wanted to. That's kinda the point. It's a competitive differentiation from Android.

    2. Re:so... now Apple will have all your med records by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If you really believe Apple can't read it then shame on you

    3. Re:so... now Apple will have all your med records by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Apple doesn't see the data unless the consumer chooses to share it."

      Read between the lines and they engineered it so that Apple can view it under [circumstances]. Which means a "warrant" also applies.

      How long before some NYPD or FBI claims that they need to know some prescription or other info on the phone to be able to apprehend a terrorist or some such bullshit?

    4. Re:so... now Apple will have all your med records by kenh · · Score: 1

      Last I looked into it, Apple sells third-party Apps, Music, and Movies, AKA "Media" and the sales of "devices" are to increase consumption of the "media" they offer. I believe "Media" is the largest revenue source for Apple.

      --
      Ken
    5. Re:so... now Apple will have all your med records by kenh · · Score: 1

      How will a nurse get your iPhone passcode to unlock your medical records if you are unconscious?

      --
      Ken
    6. Re:so... now Apple will have all your med records by kenh · · Score: 1

      You understand that for many/most Americans some significant subset of their complete medical history is available online, locked away in the databases in insurance companies, if nothing else in the form of records of payments and supporting records for every medical procedure reimbursed by their insurance carrier? The ability to replicate your medical records onto your iPhone doesn't make insurance company, employer access to that data easier.

      --
      Ken
    7. Re:so... now Apple will have all your med records by crimson+tsunami · · Score: 1

      Face id. Hope you didn't get banged up too much.

    8. Re:so... now Apple will have all your med records by shilly · · Score: 1

      It might be possible to be less informed, but you'd have to work quite hard at it.

      Apple sells this phone called the iPhone. You might have heard of it. It makes rather more money for them than "Media" (or Services, which is an actual category for Apple). In FYQ4 2017, iPhone made $29bn vs $9bn for Services.

      https://www.apple.com/newsroom...

    9. Re:so... now Apple will have all your med records by shilly · · Score: 1

      I don't know who you think you're quoting, but it's certainly not me. And Apple doesn't ask consumers to share most types of data with Apple. It doesn't ask you to share your notes, your email, your calendar, your health data, your photos, etc. You may choose to use Apple's cloud services to store that data (eg iMessages) but Apple doesn't look at the data and in fact has engineered those services so that it can't.

    10. Re:so... now Apple will have all your med records by shilly · · Score: 1

      It is a business disadvantage for Apple to be able to read that data. Cynicism makes you look oh-so-clever, but cynicism is supposed to be worldly-wise, and ignoring the material disadvantages that accrue to Apple from being able to read that data (less trust leading to lower revenues, more hassle from the Feebs, no expertise in monetising data through eg resales and no business built on this either, etc) is not very worldly-wise.

    11. Re:so... now Apple will have all your med records by Plumpaquatsch · · Score: 1

      How will a nurse get your iPhone passcode to unlock your medical records if you are unconscious?

      https://support.apple.com/HT20...

      Press the Home button.
      Tap Emergency.
      On the Emergency call screen, you can make a call or tap Medical ID to see emergency medical information stored on the device.

      --
      Of course news about a fake are Fake News.
  24. um, medical alert bracelet by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ever heard of them? The system has existed for decades to cover your exact situation.

    You let-the-government-run-our-lives types love to use extreme outlier cases to justify just about any major overreach with the apparent hope that average people will stupidly say "gosh, I had not thought of that, I guess we should surrender to big brother".

    No. As a general rule, big government and big business are big trouble for the little guy. Neither should be trusted with more as long as they have a well-demonstrated history of abusing everything upon which they get their paws. Just because YOU have an osbcure problem that YOU could solve by an inexpensive, well-established and understood-by-all-first-responders method you apparently CHOOSE not to use, that does not obligate the entire remainder of society to surrender our freedoms and privacy. Sorry, but NO. Before you insist on imposing on others, take advantage of the systems our society already provides and take a little responsibility for yourself - i.e. BE A RESPONSIBLE ADULT.

  25. Do you possess your most personal data? by shanen · · Score: 1

    I'd like to know if Apple has any patent on this. If so, I might get a big laugh on my former employer who wasn't interested when I suggested this same idea in the official new-idea system some years ago. They didn't even publish it to prevent anyone else from patenting the approach, but I STILL think it's a good approach, and NOT just for medical information.

    Possession remains 9 points of the law.

    --
    Freedom = (Meaningful - Coerced) Choice != (Speech | Beer^2), and sad sock puppets' bad mods avail them naught.
  26. Sounds secure by The123king · · Score: 1

    Cool! So now all i need to do is take a good high resolution of someone, paste that picture onto a 3D model (or on older phones, the gummi bear fingerprint cloning trick), steal their phone and then i have access to all the details about their hemorrhoids and that time they got a cucumber stuck in their rectum. Privacy FTW!

    --
    If you gave me a choice between a printer and a giraffe with explosive diarrhoea, i'll get my ladder and my raincoat
  27. Judi online by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Agen Bola

    Judi Bola

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    sbobet

    7asiabet

    7asiabet.com

    asiabet7

  28. And here's the problem... by kenh · · Score: 1

    The medical information available will include allergies, conditions, immunizations, lab results, medications, procedures and vitals. The information is encrypted and protected through a user's iPhone passcode.

    Imagine you've been in a serious car accident, you're taken to the hospital and while you are lying there unconscious the nurse stands near you fumbling with your iPhone, trying to figure out if you have any allergies. You, of course, being unconscious, can't tell the nurse your iPhone passcode.

    How is this anything more than a folder on your phone? Sad that this is considered an "innovation" - how far Apple has fallen since Steve Jobs passed...

    --
    Ken
    1. Re:And here's the problem... by SuiteSisterMary · · Score: 1

      Congratulations! You've constructed a straw man argument to argue against!

      That's not what this is for. If you have the sort of allergy that an ER needs to know, clearly, you're continuing to wear your Medic Alert bracelet, or similar.

      This is what gives you the option to switch healthcare providers without worrying that your records are being held hostage. This allows you to seek a second opinion more easily. This allows you to own the tests that are run against your own body.

      --
      Vintage computer games and RPG books available. Email me if you're interested.
    2. Re:And here's the problem... by ColdWetDog · · Score: 1

      That won't work either. If you come to a doctor with your 'own' medical records, there is a very good chance that said doctor will want the 'real' version from the other medical provider. The one that said that you weren't exactly upfront about your alcoholism / addiction / My Little Pony fetish. People lie all of the time. It's a very human condition.

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    3. Re:And here's the problem... by SuiteSisterMary · · Score: 1

      True, but it's still better than nothing. And I think the idea here is that *somebody* has to make a neutral interchange platform for medical records, so why not Apple? In other words, that these are the 'real' medical records. They've already got the HealthKit infrastructure in place.

      --
      Vintage computer games and RPG books available. Email me if you're interested.
    4. Re:And here's the problem... by Plumpaquatsch · · Score: 1

      Imagine that your are terminally stupid. Now stop pretending to imagine, because you are.

      --
      Of course news about a fake are Fake News.
  29. Re:Entrapment #HillaryForPrison by ColdWetDog · · Score: 1

    No, actually you are mostly incorrect. HIPAA allows law enforcement quite a bit of leeway. Yes, they have to jump through a couple of hoops. No, it's not particularly difficult.

    A HIPAA covered entity also may disclose PHI to law enforcement without the individual’s signed HIPAA authorization in certain incidents, including:

    To report PHI to a law enforcement official reasonably
    able to prevent or lessen a serious and imminent threat to the health or safetyof an individual or the public.

    To report PHIthat the covered entityin good faith believes to be evidence of a crime thatoccurred on the premises of the covered entity
    To alert law enforcement to the death of the individual when there is a suspicion that death resulted from criminal conduct.

    When responding to an off-site medical emergency, as necessary to alert law enforcement to criminal activity.

    To report PHI to law enforcement when required by law to do so (such as reporting gunshots or stab wounds).

    To comply with a court order or court ordered warrant, a subpoena or summons issued by a judicial officer, or an administrative requestfrom a law enforcement official (the administrative request must include a written statement that the information requested is relevant and material, specific and limited in scope, and de-identified information cannot be used).

    To respond to a request for PHI for purposes of identifying or locating a suspect, fugitive,material witness or missing person, but the information must be limitedto basic demographic and health informationabout the person.

    To respond to a request for PHI about an adult victim of a crime whenthe victim agrees (or in limited circumstances if the individual is unable to agree). Child abuse or neglect may be reported, without a parent’s agreement, to any law enforcement

    https://www.hhs.gov/sites/defa...

    --
    Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!