March 4th, 2008
Google vs. Microsoft game is afoot
GPLMedicine advocate Fred Trotter (right) has given some inspection to both Google Health and Microsoft’s HealthVault, coming down solidly on Google’s side.
Trotter writes that Google Health’s privacy policies and APIs are superior to those of Microsoft HealthVault, and its access control system looks better.
“It is not yet time to give a close blow by blow of where these two systems are in comparison to each other,” he warns, after appearing at a HIMSS press event with Google CEO Eric Schmidt where HIPAA was the dominant theme of questioners.
Perhaps the most serious flaw uncovered by Trotter is HealthVault’s use of the notion of a “root” user.
“That means that if I trust Bob enough to make him a “root” user on my PHR record, then he can do anything with my record. Including passing the root privilege to Jenny, who can pass it to Sam, who can pass it to Ruth who can then do anything with my PHR account.”
What Microsoft needs to do, he adds, is create a way for users to pass along their entire records without also passing along editing powers or the right to pass the privilege to others.
I agree that this is a serious flaw, but the question is whether Microsoft has implemented this on its Web site, or in the Java code listed at Codeplex. If it’s the former it’s an easy fix. If it’s the latter the flaw will go to anyone implementing the code.
In a way, this all reminds me of the strategies being deployed by the Obama and Clinton campaigns. As this is written those two strategies hang in the balance, as do those of Google and Microsoft.
As in the political case, it’s the ability of these companies to adjust on the fly which will determine which wins. Google’s reported tie-in with Safe-Med indicates it understands this.
Unlike our politics, however, this is not a two-company race. As Profy notes Wal-Mart is also getting into the game, backing a New York plan to use eClinicalWorks. As noted here yesterday, Kaiser Permanente is rolling out its EMR system nationwide.
The game is afoot. Who will win?
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Dana Blankenhorn has been a business journalist since 1978, and has covered technology since 1982. He launched the Interactive Age Daily, the first daily coverage of the Internet to launch with a magazine, in September 1994. See his full profile and disclosure of his industry affiliations.
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| 03/05/08
