Google/HCA Healthcare patient data sharing

The Wall Street Journal reports that Google's cloud unit and hospital chain HCA Healthcare have struck a deal that gives Google access to patient records at hundreds of hospitals and thousands of heathcare sites across the US. 

The stated aims of the deal are to increase HCA efficiencies and develop algorithms and tools to monitor patients and guide medical decision-making. Yet privacy advocates are concerned Google may use the data for other purposes, despite it having been anonymised.

US healthcare privacy laws permit hospitals to share information with suppliers, and allow researchers to analyse patient data without their permission. Healthcare companies can then use that information however they want.