Amazon sought to explain patient data collection practices

Amazon President and CEO Andy Jassy has been urged by Sens. Peter Welch, D-Vt., and Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., to clarify how its new online health service Amazon Clinic ensures data privacy after a Washington Post article noted that the service sought permissions for protected health information usage and disclosure, as well as complete patient files as part of its "HIPAA authorization" form, HealthITSecurity reports. "The form indicates that this information 'may be re-disclosed,' after which it will 'no longer be protected by HIPAA,' the federal law that requires providers to take steps to protect patient health data. The form does not provide specific details on how patient data will be shared or used going forward," said Welch and Warren in the letter. Amazon has been requested by the lawmakers to provide a sample contract with third-party providers catering to Amazon Clinic customers, as well as a list of all collected patient health data by the end of the month.