Medtronic's privacy policy: " we own your medical info"

[modbom]

I was just using Medtronic's Carelink website to upload my pump and meter settings when I started thinking about the fact that all my BG and Insulin dose records now live on their servers instead of on my own computer (as it did with the "Solutions" software.)
Here's what medtronic says they can do with the info you store there Notice of Privacy Practices (http://www.minimed.com/about/privacynotice.html)
(anything they like). It sounds like a total violation of HIPPA privacy laws to me. What do you think?

[JediSkipdogg]

But at the same time you uploading is giving them authorization to whatever their privacy practices say. Every year my doctor makes me sign her privacy agreement and it states what she can and can't do with my info (essentially with her she does nothing with it.)

HIPPA would no longer apply if you consent to giving someone your data when they tell you what the data can be used for. And if one doesn't read that, that's their fault.

[modbom]

I believe that HIPPA applies to all medical info regardless of how it is obtained. However, even if that's not the case the main bummer here is that you don't really have a choice. If you want to generate charts the only software compatible with current pumps are online only and therefor you must give your info to medtronic. Given that tracking one's BG is pretty much mandatory for tight control this isn't playing fair by a long shot.

[duck]

That privacy statement is very standard language, and is bound by HIPAA. It's not like entities that collect or store medical data in the USA have a choice, HIPAA is LAW.

[someone]

I don't see why you have a problem with them "owning" your BG/insulin records. What could they possibly do with it that would have any effect on you?

[marchez]

The benetits of carelink outweigh the potential privacy issues that exist.

[Funnygrl]

I believe that HIPPA applies to all medical info regardless of how it is obtained.

Yes, but you CONSENT to it by agreeing to the terms when you set up your account.

[Kubilee]

Yes, but you CONSENT to it by agreeing to the terms when you set up your account.

Exactly, once you join and accept their terms, all other rules/laws fly out the window because you have given them the right to use this information the way they see fit. And they can change this at any given time without prior written notice.

This is what you run into when you join sites or anything else, once you put your name in there, whether you read their Terms of Service or not, you are bound by them.

Now, if you are no longer comfirtable with this, send them an email and withdraw that consent and then you will no longer be a part/member of that site. But as long as you are a member, you are bound by it.

I run websites and our policy is that you can withdraw any further use of your information but you also withdraw access to the websites. :)

[xMenace]

My pet peeve is being unable to download the stats to use as I wish. You have to hack them from the uneditable pdf's. Two ways I've tried successfully are are printing the pdf's to Microsoft Document Writer then OCRing the text from the printout and printing to Microsft Office One Note and doing the same.

[Funnygrl]

I thought that's what the new option at the end was...I can't remember what it is, but it's the last choice in the left hand column. I can't check either cause I'm on my macbook.

[Dewey]

This is a hard one to answer. Personally, I sometimes don't even read terms & agreements of something when I sign up (as in Carelink), unless it's something serious (i.e. a phone service, etc.).

That said, I don't think they'd use our information to our disadvantage. If anything, it's my hopes that any info. they use would be for the good of those on their products, or perhaps to promote ins. coverage of their products. Perhaps they could use the info. to prove that patients who use their Real-Time CGMS or combo CGMS/pump will show/have better Diabetes control. If that's the case, then basically, they just helped patients who want to get on their products to obtain the ins. coverage needed.