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that it helps 鈥渉ealthcare organizations like Ascension improve the healthcare experience and outcomes鈥� recently got it in . Google has been accused of secretly collecting sensitive patient data across 21 states in the US on behalf of Ascension, with . While most of the criticism has been about data privacy 鈥� which is undoubtedly tremendously important 鈥� we should also pause and consider what Google intends this data for.

, as it is known, builds on Google鈥檚 previous investments and partnerships in the healthcare space, including a recent acquisition of Fitbit. The objective is clear: back in 2017, Google (ML) being 鈥渕ature enough to start accurately predicting medical events 鈥� such as whether patients will be hospitalized, how long they will stay, and whether their health is deteriorating despite treatment for conditions such as urinary tract infections, pneumonia, or heart failure.鈥�

Using data from Ascension and its patients, Google is building 鈥� and testing 鈥� applications that use ML to predict patient needs and hence increase the provider鈥檚 readiness. It鈥檚 a sort of In its , Google writes about 鈥淓xtending tools to doctors and nurses to improve care: We aim to provide tools that Ascension could use to support improvements in clinical quality and patient safety.鈥�

Our Take

Apps like these should indeed increase treatment quality, improve patient outcomes, save lives, and enhance provider efficiencies. And more healthcare data, from hospital systems but also from wearable devices 鈥� both personal devices such as Fitbit and devices used by hospitals 鈥� will lead to better predictions. And better predictions will lead to better diagnostics and better treatments.

But there鈥檚 more. Better predictions and better outcomes strengthen the provider鈥檚 market position. After all, who wants treatment from a mediocre hospital, doctor, lab, etc.? And by 鈥減rovider,鈥� we mean not just the provider of healthcare services but also the vendor providing the technology 鈥� in this case, Google.

Market position is synonymous with power. And AI is a that has the potential to shift power within companies, within industries, and even globally between countries, writes Ajay Agrawal, author of and co-chair of this year鈥檚 at the University of Toronto鈥檚 Rotman School of Management.

In the medical domain, Agrawal says, AI could 鈥渃onsolidate and dramatically impact the structure and dynamics of the entire system.鈥� And that鈥檚 the real goal of Google鈥檚 healthcare partnerships and acquisitions: to dominate healthcare, just like it dominates information access and advertisement markets.

Want to Know More?

If you are in the healthcare space, it鈥檚 not too late to start using AI. See our blueprint Get Started With AI to learn what others are doing with AI and explore what AI can do for you.