As millions of Americans prepare to select health coverage for 2027, a new audit reveals a widespread privacy gap on hospital websites. Researchers from Piwik PRO and Verified Data examined up to 25 pages on each of 59 major U.S. hospital and clinic sites using a California‑based browser with Global Privacy Control (GPC) turned on. GPC is a setting that tells websites not to sell or share personal data, a requirement in twelve states including California and Colorado.
Key findings
The audit found that 73% of the hospitals continued to run advertising or marketing trackers despite the GPC signal. These tracking pixels collect details such as pages viewed, clicks and device information. While the study did not test whether any individual patient’s health records were transmitted, the presence of these pixels means that a visitor’s interest in topics like cancer treatment, fertility specialists or appointment scheduling could be logged and used for targeted advertising.
Context and prior research
This is not the first time hospital sites have been shown to share data with third parties. In 2022, The Markup reported that one‑third of the nation’s top 100 hospitals sent appointment details to Facebook, and that Facebook’s tracking code was found inside password‑protected patient portals at seven health systems. A Rutgers Business School study of 1,201 hospitals similarly found roughly two‑thirds used third‑party tracking pixels, and those hospitals were 46% more likely to experience a data breach than facilities that relied on their own analytics tools.
Potential consequences
Improper handling of visitor data can expose hospitals to regulatory investigations, financial penalties, lawsuits and reputational damage. The Piwik PRO report counted 19 enforcement actions involving health‑care tracking tools from 2023 to 2025, resulting in more than $100 million in penalties.
Industry response
Brian Clifton, founder of Verified Data, noted that many health‑care organizations inherit analytics setups from outside agencies or past advertising campaigns rather than actively choosing them. “Healthcare organizations often inherit their analytics setup rather than actively choose it,” he said.
Recommendations for hospitals
The audit’s authors advise hospitals to remove advertising pixels from pages that discuss medical conditions, appointment booking and patient portals, and to configure their sites so the GPC signal actually disables trackers. A practical first step is to audit which tracking tools are active and assess the data they collect. Reducing reliance on third‑party scripts can lower the risk of data breaches and align sites with state privacy requirements.
What this means for consumers
During Medicare open enrollment (Oct. 15 – Dec. 7) and Marketplace enrollment (Nov. 1 – Jan. 15), many people will visit hospital websites to verify provider networks or schedule appointments. While clicking “no” on a privacy setting is a good practice, it may not be sufficient on its own. Consumers should remain vigilant, consider using privacy‑focused browsers, and be aware that the presence of tracking pixels does not necessarily mean personal health information is being shared, but it does indicate a broader collection of browsing behavior.
Looking ahead
As the health‑care sector continues to digitize, the balance between useful analytics and patient privacy will remain a critical issue. Hospital administrators, regulators and privacy advocates will need to work together to ensure that the tools meant to improve website performance do not compromise the confidentiality that patients expect.
Original reporting: KTVZ (Central Oregon) — read the source article.
