Taking Control of Your Health Data

You got it! Here's how I'd put it, drawing on my conversation with Richard:

Taking Control: My Deep Dive into Health Ledger with Richard Eynon

Today, I got the chance to speak with Richard Eynon on the "Taking Initiative" podcast about something that's been a real personal pain point for me: accessing and controlling my own health information. As a veteran, I’ve got a medical packet that's "this big", and the amount of hoops I have to jump through just to get my own data is truly frustrating. It drives me crazy, honestly.

Richard explained that this isn't just my problem; it's a massive issue where tech and medical giants are literally "stealing your data" and using it without your knowledge or permission. They want this information – details about prescriptions, diabetes status, weight loss – to leverage it, identify trends, develop new drugs, and engage in targeted marketing. We've even seen this process slimmed down, especially during events like COVID, where new drugs were brought to market at an "incredible pace" with less traditional oversight. This manipulation of data is a real concern.

So, what has Richard done about it? He and his team developed Health Ledger, an "online vault" designed to give people "ownership over their health data" and the responsibility of looking after it. It’s about people's "sovereignty" over their own information.

Here’s why I think Health Ledger is such a game-changer:

• Comprehensive Data Storage: I can store my health data "from all the way back when" to the present day, building a complete picture of my medical history. No more missing information or struggling to get data from one practitioner to another.

• User-Controlled Sharing: This is huge! Health Ledger allows me to share specific data with practitioners I choose, for a duration I am comfortable with. This means I'm in control, not some faceless entity.

• Critical Situation Preparedness: In a critical situation, all my essential health information is in one place, ready for a designated next of kin to access and manage my care. This includes living wills, prescriptions, and other health-related documents. Imagine not having to run 150 miles back home to get a folder of papers if you're at the hospital!

• Document Upload and Organization: I can upload various documents like X-rays and organize them into folders. I can even store personal protocols or prescription patterns.

• Caregiver Support: This is incredibly beneficial. For caregivers, like my mother-in-law or even me with my mom in Washington state, it provides a central system where they can access necessary information, ensuring consistent care even if the primary caregiver is unavailable. Plus, "actions and to-dos" for caregivers are coming next.

• Future Journaling and Tracking: Richard shared that upcoming features include journaling capabilities, allowing me to monitor my weight, glucose levels, sleep, and even track reactions to foods for things like elimination diets. As a fitness person, having a cool journal to track everything is incredible. It helps me take personal control and be "in tune with myself".

• Portability for Travelers: It makes it easy to access and share my comprehensive medical history when traveling, ensuring appropriate care anywhere in the world. No more trying to remember complex medical details when I'm away from home.

It’s not just for patients, though. Health Ledger also serves as a "statement of intent for health practitioners". By signing up, practitioners commit to being responsible, transparent users of healthcare data, fostering trust with patients and the wider community. This means protecting my data, "not selling it for profit," and allowing practitioners to focus on their core motivation: helping people. As a patient, if a new doctor told me right off the bat they wouldn't sell my information and would make it more secure, I'd be like, "We're on cool terms already!".

The idea for Health Ledger actually emerged from a related project, IP Ledger, a music protection system. A community member identified the problem in healthcare data, proving that "the power of community strikes again". This is something I truly love!

Richard even hinted at the potential for a "financial ledger" to help organize accounts and policies. If that was available now, I'd be "over the moon" – it changes everything! The ultimate vision for Health Ledger includes integration with TCC (The Community Corp) tools and programs, allowing seamless access to services like health or travel insurance, or connecting with TCC-affiliated health professionals while still benefiting from lifestyle allowance processes. This creates a "hedge of protection" around both finances and health, and that's just brilliant.

If you're interested in taking control of your health data, here’s how to get involved, especially for TCC members like me:

• Sign up for Health Ledger: I can even use my lifestyle allowance to pay for the service! Boom, I love that.

• Become a Referral Partner: TCC members can earn 10 points for successful individual referrals and a massive 50 points for successful business referrals to Health Ledger. I'm definitely going to sign up, figure it out, and then talk to some people I know.

• Promote on Socials or Partner: I can promote them on social media, reach out via email for involvement, or explore potential affiliate programs and partnership opportunities.

Ultimately, this podcast reinforced my belief in personal responsibility and self-awareness in health. Just as we manage our finances, managing our health data is crucial. Health Ledger provides the tool to be deliberate about your health, create routines, and track progress, moving away from chaotic and disempowering situations. As Richard powerfully illustrated with a crumpled five-dollar bill, our intrinsic value as human beings is priceless, no matter what's happened to us. Taking control of our health is a vital step in honoring that value.

To learn more and take charge of your health information, I'll be checking out health-ledger.xyz.

Capitol Building Partners blog posts authors are not employees of Capitol Building Partners, and are speaking from their own personal and individual understandings. None of our blog authors are attorneys or financial advisors and therefore are not giving you legal or financial advice. This post is for educational and entertainment purposes only. This post should not be taken as financial or legal advice or used as a substitute for such. You should always speak to your own financial consultant or attorney before implementing or taking any action on the information you read in our blog.