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UPDATE and CORRECTION: After talking this afternoon with Amy Yaley (JHC Director of Marketing and Communications), it appears likely that your medical data is NOT being sent to Facebook through Jefferson Healthcare’s MyChart portal, even though Facebook Pixel Code scripts are present on their regular web pages.
My original article statements were based on recollecting having seen Facebook scripts while inspecting my personal MyChart patient data, but the screenshots below that have evidence of Facebook scripts show the web address “jeffersonhealthcare.org“. If this page had really been from inside MyChart, then the web address would have been “wamt.myonlinechart.org“, as seen in the feature image above.
There are still some unanswered questions, and I am waiting to connect with the person who can answer them. I will update this story with any further clarifications.
What we are left with is that many hospitals around the country have websites that compromise patient data to Facebook, but at this point Jefferson Healthcare does not appear to be one of them.
[Original article text follows:]
Nonprofit technology watchdog The Markup discovered that “a tracking tool installed on many hospitals’ websites (33 of Newsweek’s top 100 hospitals in America) has been collecting patients’ sensitive health information — including details about their medical conditions, prescriptions, and doctor’s appointments — and sending it to Facebook. … We found the tracker, called the Meta Pixel, sending Facebook a packet of data whenever a person clicked a button to schedule a doctor’s appointment.”
This Meta Pixel tracker was detected inside password-protected patient portals such as the MyChart system provided by Jefferson Healthcare. Data breaches uncovered by the crowd-sourced Pixel Hunt project included:
When one real patient who participated in the Pixel Hunt study logged in to the MyChart portal…, the Meta Pixel installed in the portal told Facebook the patient’s name, the name of their doctor, and the time of their upcoming appointment.
When another Pixel Hunt participant used the MyChart portal…, the pixel told Facebook the type of allergic reaction the patient had to a specific medication.
Clicking on one button prompted the pixel to tell Facebook the name and dosage of a medication in our health record, as well as any notes we had entered about the prescription.
Clicking the “Schedule Appointment” button on a doctor’s page prompted the Meta Pixel to send Facebook the text of the button, the name of the doctor, and the search term we used to find the doctor: “Home abortion.”
When The Markup clicked the “Finish Booking” button…, the pixel sent Facebook not just the name of the doctor and her field of medicine but also the first name, last name, email address, phone number, zip code, and city of residence we entered into the booking form.
In addition, if a patient is logged in to Facebook when they visit a hospital’s website where a Meta Pixel is installed, some browsers will attach third-party cookies — another tracking mechanism — that allow Meta to link pixel data to specific Facebook accounts.
After learning about this potential problem, I signed in to my own Jefferson Healthcare MyChart account, which I’m told “offers secure online access to portions of your electronic health record”. By right-clicking and choosing the “Page Source” or “Inspect” option, it was easy to verify that Jefferson Healthcare’s MyChart webpages are laced with Facebook connections and scripts. See this screenshot:
Here’s another screenshot showing Jefferson Healthcare explicitly including “Facebook Pixel Code” for the Meta Pixel tracking software:
Note that HIPAA law “prohibits covered entities like hospitals from sharing personally identifiable health information with third parties like Facebook, except when an individual has expressly consented in advance or under certain contracts” — which has certainly not happened in this case.
I originally learned about this nationwide problem from Dr. Robert Malone’s substack, where he writes:
I was struck that patients should demand that their data not be entered into such systems. That a movement to return to data entry systems that are not corrupted by Meta, Facebook or Google needs to be jump-started.
As late as 2017, the government was actually worried about medical systems being hacked. But now? Where is our government in protecting patient’s rights?
Clearly, “we” the people can not rely on the US government. Therefore, we have to protect ourselves. Our doctors and hospitals are being encouraged to buy cloud-based, software solutions to “protect us.”
These medical providers also need to be educated — these large cloud systems-based solutions have been corrupted. The medical providers must understand that patients should be given a choice to opt-out of the system. The right to privacy extends to healthcare in its entirety.
The Free Press reached out to Jefferson Healthcare to inform them of this concerning situation and ask for comment. Despite being occupied in an all-day staff meeting at press time, Jefferson Healthcare was able to issue the following statement: “Our goal is to provide exceptional patient care to every patient we serve. Jefferson Healthcare complies with all laws and regulations protecting patient data. We are actively investigating.”
[Editors’ note: The Free Press will update this article as more information becomes available.]
Stephen Schumacher graduated with honors in Mathematics from Harvard College and programmed funds transfer systems between Wall Street banks and the Federal Reserve before moving to Port Townsend in 1983. He has served as an officer for various community organizations such as the Food Co-op, Jefferson Land Trust, and the Northwest Nutritional Foods Association. He co-created The Port Townsend Leader’s original online newspaper and programs ship stability software used by naval architects.
This is serious stuff. If medical information needs to be directly communicated to another agency, it’s one thing. Selling it to a public entity like Facebook is a confidentiality violation and prosecuteable.
Thanks for the information, looking forward for the updates!
This happened not too long ago, which just demonstrates how vulnerable our data really is.
https://jeffersonhealthcare.org/news/jefferson-healthcare-contains-data-breach-notifies-those-affected/
Personally, I don’ have any good feelings about the government taking action. I’m old enuoh that I dont’t care if they paste my medical condition to the walls off PT or anwhere else. I’m also old enough to not care who knows what and meds I taake. I’m not afraid of dieing. If I were younger, it would be a totally different situation. Everyone should be aware that nothing is secure unless it’s sent to you on paper and you can shread everything that matters to you. The cojmputer age is getting more problems than we can correct. Thank goodness I woun’t live loong enough to see some to hese wonders. Pass me a cup of Soilent Green.
Whoa you mean the completely discredited crackpot Dr. Robert Malone??……. well i’ll be damned he must be wrong again.
Ad hominem attacks are not respectful and intelligent debate. Even if Dr. Malone was one of the worst human beings who ever lived that does not mean the information being presented is not correct and important. You added nothing to this discussion but your own ego.
Irregardaless of any opinions of one Dr. Malone, the article herein is accurate, and the capture showing “FaceBook” in the elements data of the author’s “My Chart” is “proof positive” of FaceBook receiving patient data. No?
Just because you’re not paranoid, doesn’t mean they’re not after you.
There is documented evidence that the information is absolutely being shared with Facebook. You’re not addressing a newspaper author who doesn’t know what he’s talking about. You’re not on the misleader website. The person who wrote this article actually does know the material he’s writing about, quite well. Your pathetic attempt to discredit his information does nothing but discredit you as a participant in intelligent discourse.
Related:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8521885/
https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/22/18236398/facebook-mobile-apps-data-sharing-ads-health-fitness-privacy-violation
https://themarkup.org/pixel-hunt/2022/06/16/facebook-is-receiving-sensitive-medical-information-from-hospital-websites
It was Malone’s naysayers that were completely discredited for denying his involvement in the invention of mRNA technology.
I’m pretty sure Rick was being humorous here, so wasn’t seriously dissing Malone!
Thank you for shining a light on this sinister practice. I’m heartened that JHC responded and will look forward to updates. I deleted my Facebook account some years ago, but I’m sure that doesn’t matter. Data is data, Meta can just pass it along to the highest bidder.
You are our Hometown Health Heroes, PTFP!
Thank you for staying on top of this, and I’m looking forward to updates here, because I’m certain The MisLeader will pretend it’s not real and they’re busy all month misusing rainbows anyway.
I just checked MyChart for Olypen and the Harrison group and neither had Facebook in the source.
“Our goal is to provide exceptional patient care to every patient we serve. Jefferson Healthcare complies with all laws and regulations protecting patient data. We are actively investigating.” Jefferson Health Care
To have the folks who might have authorized this breach of private information to Facebook investigate itself seems counter productive if not plain stupid. Shouldn’t our local government, whose job it is to protect and serve our community, be hiring an independent private firm to investigate and report back to the government and the public? Remember Obama’s top Intelligence officer James Clapper lying before congress about spying on American Citizens? What happened to him for lying, Nothing. Thanks for this article Stephen.
What makes you think that the local government would protect and serve you? They’re to busiy padding their own pockets and throwing untold dollars at projects that go on and on with no end.
My experience with ichart: I needed to have an iphone to fully access.
I don’t own an iphone. In a very circutious process I tried to let the
hospital know the phone number they provided for ichart service did not work.
Via a real person at one company I was able to get to the working number for
the company providing the ichart service. I attempted to give the updated number
and the problem to the hospital’s main patient information, the Commissioners
and CEO Gleen who was well blocked but finally got an answering machine for
his secretary. The ichart information number the hospital was using was out of date
by three years. One Commissioner left a message and a the hospital updated its
information.
My experience when accessing health care is that medical staff click away on ichart
while trying to attend to my health concerns. At one point the software decided
I needed a different medication. I found this out by trying to get a refill.
Mr. Glenn is running a corporate model that may dazzle some with the public relations
of how much Jefferson Health Care cares. I am of the notion that the Commissioner’s
granting him a $17,000 pay increase to $300,000 so that he can administer the building
of another $120M addition including a new office for the public relations staff is not appropriate
in these times.
Julie Jaman
Our family thinks so highly of jhc we all have it written into our emergency instructions that we are, in case of emergency, to be transported ANYWHERE EXCEPT jefferson healthcare hospital.
I’d literally rather be taken to the veterinarian in poulsbo than the hospital in PT.
This is probably a good place to drop this link:
https://rumble.com/v13bquq-the-hipaa-deception-why-hipaa-is-not-a-privacy-law.html?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=990fd656-aeef-4bec-8fbd-bf4f4cd0fd47
Full text of HIPAA from CDC:
https://www.cdc.gov/phlp/publications/topic/hipaa.html
Thank you, Annette. Eye-opening, for sure.
Stephen wrote:
Fair enough. Still not ever setting foot in that
ridiculous excuse for a “hospital”.
Heads up!
Craigslist ad:
Petition Initiative Signature Gatherers / Grass Roots Activists Needed for Washington State-Wide Petitions.
You can make very High pay while working for a great cause! You work as an Independent Contractor and pay is by the Signature but you can make the ‘equivalent’ of $50 to make $100 an hour and up if you are good at collecting signatures. Help work Store-fronts/Festivals/Fairs/Farmers Markets/ Events.
The Petition is:
• Petition I-1922 End the War on Drugs.
• This measure would decriminalize possession of controlled substances, legend drugs, or counterfeit drugs, while authorizing seizure & forfeiture; direct some marijuana taxes and other public funding to treatment and recovery services, law enforcement training, research, advisory committees, and public education; require law enforcement to provide information about outreach and engagement services; prescribe mechanisms for vacating certain drug-related convictions; preempt local laws; assign responsibility for private and public insurance of treatment services; and amend related laws.
The people find that in the 50 years of Washington state uniform controlled substances act has been in effect, treating drug use as a crime has caused more harm than good. It has failed to produce positive outcomes like reduced rates of substance use disorder and drug overdose. It has failed to address root causes of substance use disorder like social isolation, depression, and anxiety. It has instead subjected people to the compounding traumas of arrest, prosecution, and incarceration, and saddled them with criminal records erect barriers to stable housing, employment, and protective social connections.
We have until between July 5th and 8th to get enough signatures to qualify! So this is a short term HIGH PAYING job!
The pay: $5 per signature. There is an extra $2 per signature IF we get enough signatures and qualify this issue for its intended ballot.
This means you can make between $500 to $1000 a day if you are motivated!
You can work ANYWHERE is the State of Washington and gather signatures which must be from Washington Registered Voters ONLY.
• Petitioners Will Greet the Public and Gather Valid Signatures from Registered Voters of Washington State. Petitioners may also Register Voters.
• Looking for Individuals Preferably with Experience but Experience is not Necessary. Training can be provided for those who need it.
Candidates are asked to represent the following:
• Excellent communication skills
• Leadership experience
• Ability to work in a high energy environment
• Ambition, strong work ethic, and open to new ideas
• Be a self-starter with problem solving skills
• Able to Concisely and Clearly Communicate with the Public
Most Petitioners shoot for a goal of 75 to 200 signatures per day.
Please Contact us through Email via Craigslist and provide all requested info.
Copy and paste the questions/format below and answer.
Please Provide:
NAME:
CURRENT CITY / LOCATION:
CURRENT PHONE # :
CURRENT EMAIL:
AVAILABILITY:
EXPERIENCE:
IF YOU HAVE TRANSPORTATION OR NOT?
*If you do not send all of the above information it may greatly delay us in contacting you back promptly so please make sure you get all of the info.
As soon as we receive your info we will contact you promptly and set-up a morning to meet and fill out the proper paper work.”
This is how liberals create a so-called “grassroots” movements. Educate yourselves and stand your ground.
Interesting. Turns out there’s a LOT of news hiding in plain sight over at CList:
https://olympic.craigslist.org/off/d/nordland-retail-space-in-historic-port/7499150436.html
‘Looks like mebbe Ms Magical Mess Tents may be
losing a “legacy tenant”.
[BOLDING MINE]:
Interesting. They want peoples’ political parties so they can keep things… “balanced”. eyeroll They really think they are going to stay in power, with what they’ve done. The arrogance and willful cluelessness is breathtaking.
<>
In our case, the one representative of “persons depending on the ferry system for commerce” is already WHOLLY represented by the local government planning body staff. It’s everyone else in this godforsaken burg who has no representation.
And they wonder why we are surly.
Speaking of typical PT malfeasance…
https://ptleader.com/stories/upcoming-audit-of-pda-expected-to-cite-financial-accounting-for-makers-square,83909?#comments
https://ptleader.com/stories/glamping-project-to-be-mothballed-in-plan-for-new-bond-financing,83910?
Timmons gonna Timmons…
Remember that time Timmons picked a library director?
Does anybody really wonder why this place is such a mess? The same useless communards just playing musical chairs with appointed seats on various committees, foundations, charities and trusts.
https://www.ptleader.com/stories/editorial-library-whistleblower,46354
Some weekend links:
https://facebook.com/StopAgenda21WA
https://americanpolicy.org/2017/10/04/agenda-21-agenda-2030-there-is-no-difference/
https://nwri.org/agencies-promoting-un-agenda-21/
https://thecommonsenseshow.com/activism-agenda-21-conspiracy/governor-jay-inslee-signs-bill-will-ban-non-electric-vehicles-washington-state-2030
Beware the “influential experts”:
https://www.peninsuladailynews.com/entertainment/united-way-chambers-form-womens-networking-group/
To help you keep up with their relentless shenanigans:
https://app.leg.wa.gov/committeeschedules
Cheers