Pull the Plug or Life Support? Google Wants To Know Your Final Wishes
Google announced today that it has begun prompting users of its online health information service to fill out Advanced Care Directives, the documents that communicate end-of-life wishes ahead of time in case you're unable to communicate while hospitalized. On one level, that makes sense: communicate your wishes about being kept on life support or not and store it online with a very stable service provider. On another level, though, this is creepy.
The huge stores of knowledge about our lives and world now contained on the servers of huge companies like Google and Facebook could be put to great use - or they could end up providing the foundation for a sci-fi horror story. Chances are, reality will be somewhere in between. All this centralized information about us will be useful, a little invasive and a little disappointing in the utility actually delivered. When the worst-case scenario story gets written, though, it's hard to imagine this won't be a chapter.
Google is working with an organization called Caring Connections to provide an Advanced Care Directive template that can be printed, filled out and then scanned. Once scanned into Google Health, it's easy for your health care practitioner to access. Let's hope it stays secure, that end of life information.
That sounds great. For example, we wrote this Spring about a related, independent service that provides this type of functionality called Legacy Locker. That company's security measures look great, and they aren't Google. Which would you prefer to entrust with your dying wishes? It's something to think about.
Just remember that for a growing number of people, Google now knows about our search histories, our email behavior, our telephone activity, our genetic codes, what the front of our homes look like...and now how we want to be treated when we're dying. It's all very useful. I'm just saying.
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my mom had a feeding tube installed last March 2008 wasnt eating .. it gave me 10 months ( and a summer ) more with her she passed in January 2008 ,,, difficult decision
Posted by: johnpiercy
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July 16, 2009 10:09 AM
leave final info like this availible to possible hacks . Not for me...
Pull the Plug or Life Support? Google Wants To Know Your Final Wishes http://bit.ly/4cpr3 [from http://twitter.com/marshallk/statuses/2672408486]
Posted by: Marshall Kirkpatrick
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July 16, 2009 12:11 PM
If you carefully read the terms of service on Google Health you will note that since they do not provide health services they are not subject to HIPAA and therefore there is no penalty if they accidentally releae or share your information either in particular or in aggregate.
No thank you. If they are willing to comply with HIPAA I'll consider sharing my info. Otherwise no dice.
I am a critical care nurse and frequently involved in end of life issues with families. I say go for everything our health care system has to offer, but always keep in mind the quality of life after and also think about what you would want for yourself. I for one don't want to be dependent on anyone else to care for my basic needs. If I can't wipe my own ass, so to speak--stop pumping on my chest please.
they should sync it with the new stimulus/hospital digitalization.
They're stretching it now. Really. They might as well add Caskets and Coffins to Froogle. And then sync all of this... This the web version of the Truman Show. We desperately need competition.