There are ongoing efforts to merge your health data and have it in a central place. Other efforts involve transferring or exchanging your health data between hospitals and doctors and you look forward to not having to spend 20 minutes filling out the same paper form you filled out at another doctor’s office. Yes, that will happen, eventually. But should this central place that holds your data only serve your doctors or should the information it contains directly guide your life style and life choices? You have read that eventually, a smart computer will access your health data and make a faster, more accurate diagnosis or create a personalized treatment plan. You have read that such a system will make recommendations on your diet, your physical exercise regimen and even your social life and your career (work less, take time off). These recommendations will help you lead a happier, healthier and fuller life. It is already happening today, with apps like Fitbit and MyFitnessPal being pioneers in the field.
Today, doctors, clinics and hospitals have portions of your health data. It is spread across filing cabinets, devices, and the computers owned by these institutions. According to HIPPA regulations you can ask for that data but the data collected at a particular health provider belongs to him or her. Now consider this: 23andme and similar institutions have your genetic data but they don’t have your doctors’ health data. uBiome has your microbiome data but nothing else. Your Fitbit or similar fitness tracker has your fitness data but they don’t have your genetic data or your medical health history. You have been recording your weight and consumed calories in applications like MyFitnessPal, but nobody but you has that data. Ultimately, you have the right to access and own all that data and share it as you seem fit.