Google, University of Chicago Medical Center Accused of Sharing Patients’ Data

Google University of Chicago Medical Center Accused of Sharing Patients Data

Google and the University of Chicago Medical Center are being sued for allegedly sharing unauthorized data from their patients.

  • By Kaitlyn DeHaven
  • Jul 01, 2019

Google and the University of Chicago Medical Center formed a partnership approximately two years ago with the goal of finding patterns in patients’ medical records for medicine and to better understand disease.

The companies are now being sued for allegedly not stripping out date stamps or doctor’s notes in patient record, giving Google the ability to identify the patients. The lawsuit claims the companies did not take the proper measures to ensure patient privacy, nor did they obtain the consent of the patients.

Records from between 2009 and 2016 were shared with Google, according to the lawsuit. According to the Chicago Tribune, Google and the hospital are claiming that the patients aren’t identifiable by their records, but the lawsuit alleges the record contained times and dates of treatment, as well as notes from providers.

“Google managed to fly under the radar as it pulled off what is likely the greatest heist of consumer medical records in history,” the lawsuit says.

The lawsuit also states that when patients enter the University’s Medical Center, they sign admission forms in which the university agrees it will not share their records with third parties like Google.

Both the university and Google have denied the allegations. Google said, in a statement, that they take their privacy seriously, and that they follow all rules and regulations.

“We believe our healthcare research could help save lives in the future, which is why we take privacy seriously and follow all relevant rules and regulations in our handling of health data,” Google said. “In particular, we take compliance with HIPAA seriously, including in the receipt and use of the limited data set provided by the University of Chicago.”

About the Author

Kaitlyn DeHaven is the Associate Content Editor for the Infrastructure Solutions Group at 1105 Media.

Featured

  • Maximizing Your Security Budget This Year

    Perimeter Security Standards for Multi-Site Businesses

    When you run or own a business that has multiple locations, it is important to set clear perimeter security standards. By doing this, it allows you to assess and mitigate any potential threats or risks at each site or location efficiently and effectively. Read Now

  • New Research Shows a Continuing Increase in Ransomware Victims

    GuidePoint Security recently announced the release of GuidePoint Research and Intelligence Team’s (GRIT) Q1 2024 Ransomware Report. In addition to revealing a nearly 20% year-over-year increase in the number of ransomware victims, the GRIT Q1 2024 Ransomware Report observes major shifts in the behavioral patterns of ransomware groups following law enforcement activity – including the continued targeting of previously “off-limits” organizations and industries, such as emergency hospitals. Read Now

  • OpenAI's GPT-4 Is Capable of Autonomously Exploiting Zero-Day Vulnerabilities

    According to a new study from four computer scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, OpenAI’s paid chatbot, GPT-4, is capable of autonomously exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities without any human assistance. Read Now

  • Getting in Someone’s Face

    There was a time, not so long ago, when the tradeshow industry must have thought COVID-19 might wipe out face-to-face meetings. It sure seemed that way about three years ago. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
Most   Popular

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • 4K Video Decoder

    3xLOGIC’s VH-DECODER-4K is perfect for use in organizations of all sizes in diverse vertical sectors such as retail, leisure and hospitality, education and commercial premises. 3

  • PE80 Series

    PE80 Series by SARGENT / ED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin

    ASSA ABLOY, a global leader in access solutions, has announced the launch of two next generation exit devices from long-standing leaders in the premium exit device market: the PE80 Series by SARGENT and the PED4000/PED5000 Series by Corbin Russwin. These new exit devices boast industry-first features that are specifically designed to provide enhanced safety, security and convenience, setting new standards for exit solutions. The SARGENT PE80 and Corbin Russwin PED4000/PED5000 Series exit devices are engineered to meet the ever-evolving needs of modern buildings. Featuring the high strength, security and durability that ASSA ABLOY is known for, the new exit devices deliver several innovative, industry-first features in addition to elegant design finishes for every opening. 3

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities 3