US Health Tech Firm Athenahealth Launches MCP Server to Let Claude Access Patient Records

US healthcare technology provider Athenahealth has announced the launch of a server named AthenaPatient MCP, which connects patients' electronic health records to Anthropic's artificial intelligence model, Claude. This integration allows Claude to read and answer questions regarding specific health details such as lab results, vitals, medications, and visit history.

The feature is currently available only to Claude Pro and Claude Max subscribers. According to Athenahealth, the process is secure, requiring patients to sign in with their account credentials and explicitly authorize which health information Claude can access. Users retain the ability to revoke this access at any time. Athenahealth stated that the agreement prohibits Anthropic from using data accessed through this connection to train its models or improve its products.

Sam Lambson, Vice President of Product Management, Data & Ecosystem at Athenahealth, noted that the tool is designed to help patients better understand information provided by healthcare professionals, rather than to offer medical advice. For instance, a user might ask, "What was my most recent red blood cell count?" but should not expect Claude to explain how an abnormal count might affect their health. This distinction draws a clear line between AI as an information retrieval assistant and clinical decision support.

This partnership reflects a growing trend of collaboration between tech giants and healthcare institutions. Previously, Microsoft teamed up with Mayo Clinic to develop an AI model for healthcare, and Boston Children's Hospital forged a partnership with OpenAI for enterprise AI systems. As more Americans turn to AI for medical information, such integrations aim to provide convenience while protecting privacy through rigorous authentication and data isolation.