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Facebook has set the standard in the venture capital community. Now dozens of companies are trying to make money by commercializing social networks and your health care.  Just take a look at this article from the Wall Street Journal from December of 2006 and consider what’s already happening on the web today with social networks matching patients like match.com matches dates.  There are at least five vertical health care networks that are getting buzz in Silicon Valley:  Among them: PatientsLikeMe, QualityHealth, ICYou .The last is a little annoying because the video launches right away and you’re assaulted by a story you may or may not care about. But back to the WSJ article for some perspective:

“The social-networking revolution is coming to health care, at the same time that new Internet technologies and software programs are making it easier than ever for consumers to find timely, personalized health information online.”

Microsoft launched it’s HealthVault last week. The software giant is betting that you, the patient, are willing to store your health record–your entire personal health history on line with them, in exchange for their research, resources and search engine capability. Imagine operating on you page, which you can populate with customized health information. Cancer patients can get the latest research on their disease. But, at what price? Who guarantees your privacy. Microsoft has gone to great lengths to reassure the user, including a cumbersome login process. Microsoft will kick back your password unless it’s deemed extremely secure, not just “moderately”. But look at the user terms: Microsoft also says it reserves certain rights to access your data if it deems it in the interests of “security”. What does that really mean? Do you trust a major corporation to protect your health identify?