Where's Waldo's Cousin - Where's MyHealthData?

Meet Where's Waldo's cousin - Where's MyHealthData?

Have you had the experience of tracking down where your medical records are located? Think that large health system with the fancy building has your data in one organized, pretty and safe database? Ever tried to take your xray report and films from one doctor to another?

Where's MyHealthData is everyone's persona today. We are all related to Where's Waldo through a very complex, frustrating and fragmented health care ecosystem.

If you access health care services - then there is data about you. Unfortunately, your health data is most likely spread across many disparate and silo databases. Worse yet, your health data may be on flat files, in spreadsheets or in a notebook kept by a well-meaning health care staff person. Your data may even be on a SharePoint site or a google doc.

This means that when you need your data - for care, treatment or coordination of services - IT IS NOT WHERE YOU NEED IT. Waldo's cousin 'Where's MyHealthData' shows up again. This leads to administrative burden to the consumer, the health care provider and the system.

So, the next time you access the health care system for services - ask Where's MyHealthData?

You may be surprised at how little information is available for aggregation and used at the point of care.