What big data is telling doctors about you
Published On: Sep 18 2014 02:20:22 PM EDT Updated On: Sep 19 2014 06:16:46 AM EDT
Improving your everyday health could soon be as simple as getting a phone call from your doctor.
That's because some hospitals are starting to use detailed consumer data to get a better picture of patients' daily lives and create risk profiles on them.
If the process sounds familiar, it should. It's similar to what many retailers are doing to better advertise their products. For example, you may have noticed when you make an online purchase, you often see ads popping up with similar or related products.
It's technology hospitals are using more and more.
"This could be everything from buying habits to eating habits," said Bill Moschella, owner and CEO of data company eVariant.
Lynn Crisci has a chronic illness and often visits doctors, but she was surprised to hear some health care providers may be looking beyond what patients and their medical records tell them.
"I don't feel it's the hospital's right to access more information than the patient has willingly given them," Crisci said.
But industry insiders do stress this kind of data is already being collected by marketing companies; it's just that now, hospitals are getting in on the game.
"Hospitals are getting far more sophisticated with their data and I believe the trend will continue," said Ruth Padilla, a hospital consultant.
World Privacy Forum's Pam Dixon agrees.
"There's no question about it. There are entire conferences that are dedicated to teaching hospitals how they can use big data," she said.
Moschella said for the moment, doctors aren't getting specific details about you. His clients aren't being told if you buy a lot of ice cream, buy a lot of cigarettes, or routinely skip the gym.
Instead, companies provide reports analyzing that data-- saying you could be at risk for certain diseases based on your habits.
"This should lead to a better health care outcome for the patients who are receiving this treatment," said Moschella.
Padilla said she thinks this is helpful for doctors.
"Physicians are strapped with time with their patients," she said. "The more they know about their patients in advance of a visit, the more they can probe into certain things that might make them more at risk for disease."
Data-mining does raise a question of privacy, and even how accurate the information is.
Dixon said she believes if hospitals are going to analyze data to determine patient risk, they should share that information with the patient.
But she said whether that will become standard practice-- is still to be determined.
"The world where a patient who walks into the doctor's office and the doctor's done a huge predictive analytic work up on the patient, I don't think we're there yet," said Dixon. "However, I do think that world is coming."
Keep in mind, not all hospitals are doing this. If you want to know what information your hospital or doctor is collecting about you, experts recommend just asking.
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