Google has access to detailed health records on tens of millions of Americans

Google quietly partnered last year with Ascension—the country’s second-largest health system—and has since gained access to detailed medical records on tens of millions of Americans, according to a November 11 report by The Wall Street Journal. The endeavor, code-named “Project Nightingale,” has enabled at least 150 Google employees to see patient health information, which includes diagnoses, laboratory test results, hospitalization records, and other data, according to internal documents and the newspaper’s sources. In all, the data amounts to complete medical records, WSJ notes, and contains patient names and birth dates. The…

Tracking behaviors is the first step to lifestyle hacking

As the medical community increasingly researches the dangers of screen time, many Americans say they are looking to unplug and engage in digital detoxes. However, Chris Dancy, health and wellness consultant and author of “The World’s Most Connected Human,” tapped into digital devices to hack his unhealthy behaviors. “About 12 years ago I was 320 pounds, I smoked 2 packs of cigarettes a day, I had been on antidepressants since I was 18 and I was about to turn 40. I drank 36 cans of diet coke a day and things were…

Five ways to safely research your health symptoms online

Help your doctor to help you. (Posed by models.) Photograph: RyanJLane/Getty Images Be confident , but considerate There is no need for you to feel self-conscious about letting your GP know that you have researched your symptoms online. Your health means more to you than it does to anyone else, so embrace the information at your fingertips: it may help your doctor to help you. But it is important to remember that they are the expert, and to respect their time limitations. Before your appointment, form some plan for how to…

Calculate the Total Out-of-Pocket Cost of Your Health Insurance Plan

How much do you pay for your health insurance? If you only think about your health insurance costs in terms of the monthly premiums, you’re leaving out a lot of potential expenses. Right now, for example, I have an Affordable Care Act Bronze plan with a $442.83 monthly premium and a $6,200 deductible. This means that I could pay a total of $11,513.96—the $6,200 deductible plus $5,313.96 in premiums—before my insurer begins to pick up the cost for any of my healthcare. I might end up paying less than that,…

Babylon Health Gets $2 Billion Valuation With New Funding That Will Help It Expand In U.S.

Ali Parsa CEO and cofounder of Babylon Health. BABYLON HEALTH Babylon Health, a U.K.-based startup whose fast growth has been shadowed by concerns about the efficacy of its telemedicine apps, has raised $550 million in Series C funding, elevating the company to unicorn status. Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which invest on behalf of the Saudi Arabian government, led the round that valued the company at $2 billion with a total of $635 million raised. The new capital will enable the company to expand into more markets including the…

Summer Health tips: 4 facts about the SPF Sunscreens you must know – Keep your skin safe from harmful sun rays

A lot of misnomers do the rounds when it comes to what SPF is, when should you apply it, why is it needed, if it really works or not, and what is its significance in skin care and health. Summer Health tips: 4 facts about the SPF Sunscreens you must know – Keep your skin safe from harmful sun rays  |  Photo Credit: Getty Images New Delhi: Our face skin is super delicate and requires a lot of care and protection, especially in the summer heat. The harmful rays of the sun…