These reports come despite company promises to prospective patients that their user data, including information about mental health and addiction treatment, will remain confidential.
Senators Amy Klobuchar, Susan Collins, Maria Cantwell, and Cynthia Lummis expressed their concern over the protection of patients' sensitive health information by well-known telehealth companies.
They referenced an investigation by STAT and The Markup that uncovered the deliberate sharing of patient data by telehealth companies with tech giants such as Meta, Facebook, Google, TikTok, Microsoft and Twitter, and other advertising platforms.
It has been reported that these digital health companies are monitoring and distributing the personally identifiable health information of their clients, including their contact information, financial details, and more.
“Telehealth…has become a popular and effective way for many Americans to receive care. One-fifth of the U.S. population resides in rural or medically-underserved communities where access to virtual care is vital. This access should not come at the cost of exposing personal and identifiable information to the world’s largest advertising ecosystems,” the senators added.
Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.) recently sent letters to telehealth companies Monument, Workit Health, and Cerebral, inquiring about their data sharing practices.
“Recent reports highlight how your company shares users’ contact information and health care data that should be confidential. This information is reportedly sent to advertising platforms, along with the information needed to identify users. This data is extremely personal, and it can be used to target advertisements for services that may be unnecessary or potentially harmful physically, psychologically, or emotionally,” the letter reads.
Telehealth involves the provision of healthcare services and information through the use of electronic communication and information technologies.
It enables remote patient-provider communication to provide services including consultation, education, monitoring, intervention, and even admission for treatment, overcoming the barriers of distance.
