LEADER 01881pam 2200169 a 4500
001 891529
005 20181210092822.0
008 181225s2017 mau g b 001 0 eng d
010 $a2016016233
020 $a9780807059029 (pbk.) :$cNT$700
040 $aTWTNM$beng$dTWTNM
050 00$aR858$b.T34 2017
082 04$a610.285$222
100 1 $aTanner, Adam,$eauthor.
245 10$aOur bodies, our data :$bhow companies make billions selling our medical records /$cAdam Tanner.
260 $aBoston, Massachusetts :$bBeacon Press,$c2017
300 $a218 p. ;$c23 cm.
504 $aIncludes bibliographical references (pages 189-205) and index.
520 $aHidden from consumers, patient medical data has become a multibillion-dollar worldwide trade between our health- care providers, drug companies, and a complex web of middlemen. This great medical-data bazaar sells copies of our prescriptions, hospital records, insurance claims, blood-test results, and more, stripped of names but still containing identifiers such as year of birth, gender, and doctor. As computing grows ever more sophisticated, patient dossiers are increasingly vulnerable to re- identification, which could make them a target for identity thieves or hackers. Paradoxically, comprehensive electronic files for patient treatment-a key reason medical data exists in the first place-remain an elusive goal. Even today, patients and their doctors rarely have easy access to full records that could improve care. In the evolution of medical data, the instinct for profit has outstripped patient needs. This book reveals the previously hidden story of how such a system evolved internationally. ... This investigative narrative seeks to spark debate on how we can best balance the promise big data offers to advance medicine and improve lives, while preserving the rights and interests of every patient. We, the patients, deserve a say in this discussion. After all, it's our data.--Publisher information.
650 0$aMedical records$xData processing.
650 0$aConfidential communications.
650 0$aData mining.