Apple update brings medical records

Tech Giant Apple Update Brings Medical Records to the iPhone

Apple, the tech giant, has recently announced that it will soon let users in certain hospital systems to tether their health records to their iPhones, getting easy access to seven categories of information, such as lab results, immunizations or allergies.

It is basically an update of a less sophisticated health records function in Apple’s Health app. Earlier, users were able to download specific medical records & add them to the app. However, this new version will aggregate information as well as update it as a user’s medical record evolves.

“Our goal is to help consumers live a better day. We’ve worked closely with the health community to create an experience everyone has wanted for years — to view medical records easily and securely right on your iPhone,” said Apple Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams.

“By empowering customers to see their overall health, we hope to help consumers better understand their health and help them lead healthier lives.”

Medical facilities that have already signed up include Johns Hopkins Medicine, Cedars-Sinai, Penn Medicine, UNC Health Care and many more.

“We are thrilled to see Apple taking the lead in this space by enabling access for consumers to their medical information on their iPhones,” said Cedars-Sinai Chief Information Officer Darren Dworkin.

“Apple is uniquely positioned to help scale adoption because they have both a secure and trusted platform and have adopted the latest industry open standards at a time when the industry is well positioned to respond.”

The tech giant also said that the health records inside the app will be encrypted as well as protected with the user’s iPhone passcodes.

According to the New York times, Apple won’t be seeing any users’ health information unless users choose to share it with them.

Unlike Google, the company doesn’t have a reputation for profiting from customer data, & has built trust with users that it will uphold promises on security, according to Creative Strategies’ consumer technology analyst Carolina Milanesi.

Over the past few years, the tech giant has sharpened its focus in healthcare. It has already launched Researchkit in 2015, CareKit in 2016  & HealthKit in 2014, different software platforms that enable medical researchers as well as professionals to build iOS apps that collect data & provide better information to users.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *