Hospitals Mine Health Data to Solicit Your Business

If you have private health insurance, that is.

Provena didn’t send the mailing to everyone who lived near the hospital, just those who had a stronger likelihood of having smoked based on their age, income, insurance status and other demographic criteria.

The nonprofit center is one of a growing number of hospitals using their patients’ health and financial records to help pitch their most lucrative services, such as cancer, heart and orthopedic care. As part of these direct mail campaigns, they are also buying detailed information about local residents compiled by consumer marketing firms — everything from age, income and marital status to shopping habits and whether they have children or pets at home…

Provena Health marketing executive Lisa Lagger said such efforts had helped attract higher-paying patients, including those covered by “profitable Blue Cross and less Medicare.”

Entire article is interesting.

Comments (4)

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  1. Davie says:

    While I agree that health should be an industry like any other, I think it’s disturbing that private medical records are used to turn profits.

  2. Vicki says:

    I’m not sure I like this.

  3. Brian says:

    They shouldn’t be doing this.

  4. Ahmad says:

    Hola Frank:No habeda visto esta seccif3n de comentarios. Mes a mes he dsugieo con gran intere9s los artedculos de la pe1gina y, siguiendo tus deseos, estoy traduciendo al Espaf1ol algunos artedculos y pase1ndolos a otros oficiales aqued en Me9xico.No dejes de enviame la Cebra / Gorra Blanca !!!Saludos y espero que podamos tabajar juntos nuevamente en el futuro.Sergio c1vila(Just in Case)Hi Frank:I had not seen this comments section. Month after month I have followed with great interest the articles of the page, and according to your desires, I am making a translation to the Spanish of some of them and I am sending them to my colleagues in Me9xico.I will appreciate the continue sending of the Zebra / White Cap!!! Greetings and I hope that we will be able to work together again in the near future.Sergio c1vila