Apple Working to Transform HealthKit Into Diagnosis Tool Aided by New Apple Watch Apps

[MacRumors]

Apple has hired "scores of healthcare experts" in recent years to develop improved electronic health record software, with an ultimate goal of transforming HealthKit into a tool that improves diagnoses, reports Bloomberg.

The system could chip away at two problems that plague the industry and have stumped other specialist firms in the field: interoperability -- allowing data to be transferred from hospital to hospital across different databases; and analysis -- making it quick and easy for physicians to extrapolate salient information from mountains of data.

If the efforts are successful, HealthKit could eventually interpret health and fitness data and provide advice to patients, doctors, and others accordingly.

The collection of health and fitness data will be aided by the Apple Watch, including two new apps that will help users track their sleep patterns and gauge their fitness levels by "measuring the time taken for the heart rate to fall from its peak to resting level," according to the report.

"If you drive for a while and your car gets too hot, it says pull over. If you need an oil change, it says check your oil. What's the equivalent for the body?" said Apple CEO Tim Cook at Startup Fest Europe in May. "Health is a huge issue around the world and we think it's ripe for simplicity and a new view."

Article Link: Apple Working to Transform HealthKit Into Diagnosis Tool Aided by New Apple Watch Apps

 

[sirdir]

Do I need a second watch then? Because my first one will be charging at night.
Or in repair when it's only a few days old (mic stopped working)

 

[shk718]

Entering the health care industry is a huge opportunity for Apple that I think Wall St. is completely overlooking.

 

[Haribokart]

Strange that they talk about this after making the health app so awful under iOS 10.

 

[gsmornot]

I'm sure its no secret to everyone but each doctor and hospital has the ability to select their own billing and records systems. People have options for doctors they use based on insurance coverage and personal preference. Once you have that many options you find many different systems for storage and with hippa regulations you silo the data within the walls of each doctor. Lets hope as we go forward someone can find a better way to gather and analyze the data. It would be nice if nothing else to have the ability to receive a record of my visit each time I visit a doctor that could be saved to my device/account and taken with me to use. Its my data and so should be easier to collect and provide to other service providers.

 

[tomnavratil]

IMHO HealthKit and HomeKit integrations and development are the big things for Apple. There is massive potential market with a great marketing / CSR opportunity if it gets done right. This could be huge.

 

[CB1234]

Do I need a second watch then? Because my first one will be charging at night.
Or in repair when it's only a few days old (mic stopped working)

What would you do if your car broke down?

You will survive until you get your replacement. But if this benefits even 1 person, it is worth it...

Applaud Apple for trying and where it is due... everything doesn't have to be negative.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

I think this is the right direction to head in. One of the types of things I've been hoping for from my Apple Watch.

FYI the HeartWatch app is absolutely fantastic to tracking HR. I've had it for like 9 months now. Far and away my favorite and most used 3rd party app for Apple Watch.

 

[needfx]

Presenting the Watch ER

 

[jgelin]

I'm sure its no secret to everyone but each doctor and hospital has the ability to select their own billing and records systems. People have options for doctors they use based on insurance coverage and personal preference. Once you have that many options you find many different systems for storage and with hippa regulations you silo the data within the walls of each doctor. Lets hope as we go forward someone can find a better way to gather and analyze the data. It would be nice if nothing else to have the ability to receive a record of my visit each time I visit a doctor that could be saved to my device/account and taken with me to use. Its my data and so should be easier to collect and provide to other service providers.

This is what I am hoping for too... a secure electronic file that is on my Apple devices. If I'm found incapacitated on the side of the road, a NFC chip can pull all that data from watch or phone and then its my whole medical history. One can only wonder if Apple can come up with a solution.

 

[Nozuka]

Do I need a second watch then? Because my first one will be charging at night.

 

[Dilster3k]

There is no questioning, even regarding the support for people with disabilities and movements in renewable energies, that Apple truly is changing the game big time and no other tech company comes even close. No matter what MacRumors hate comments claim.

 

[eagle33199]

I'm sure its no secret to everyone but each doctor and hospital has the ability to select their own billing and records systems. People have options for doctors they use based on insurance coverage and personal preference. Once you have that many options you find many different systems for storage and with hippa regulations you silo the data within the walls of each doctor. Lets hope as we go forward someone can find a better way to gather and analyze the data. It would be nice if nothing else to have the ability to receive a record of my visit each time I visit a doctor that could be saved to my device/account and taken with me to use. Its my data and so should be easier to collect and provide to other service providers.

Having actually worked on developing healthcare systems, I can tell you that there are a couple that really do dominate the landscape when it comes to healthcare records, and most existing apps that work on collecting data (for example, from internal pacemakers) support exporting to those systems. It's probably easier to transfer your data from one provider to another than it is to switch from iPhone to Android.

 

[Zirel]

Strange that they talk about this after making the health app so awful under iOS 10.

Please explain the "so awful"?

They maintained what they had, but better sectioned, put prettier graphics you can ignore, everything else, it's the same.

These people trying to spread updatofobia...

If you don't want things to change stay away from Apple, because they are coming for your zone of comfort, they will come and will take your DVD drive, your USB ports, your 3.5mm jack and your phone keys, and your money too.

 

[Mad Mac Maniac]

Do I need a second watch then? Because my first one will be charging at night.

This is such a ridiculous argument. I'm sure Apple will gladly sell you a second watch, but I've tracked sleep with my Apple watch nearly every night for almost a full year now. It's much easier than you would think. Because the battery is so small it charges super quickly. Charging starts to slow down once you start going above 80% so I usually keep my watch in the 40%-80% charge range (which actually is the ideal way to increase longevity of a battery), which usually equates to 40-50 minutes of charging daily. Either all at once or broken up into 2 bursts (getting ready in the morning and getting ready for bed). It's really not a bother for me personally.

 

[RonD69]

I want spectrographic sensors to analyze the chemical components of blood, more specifically concentration levels of sugar. A lot of people with diabetes need a non-invasive way of accurately monitoring their blood-sugar levels...my father is one of them.

 

[coolfactor]

Do I need a second watch then? Because my first one will be charging at night.
Or in repair when it's only a few days old (mic stopped working)

Thankfully for you, HealthKit works with non-Apple heath devices, too. Amazing, eh?

 

[smacrumon]

This is Apple at its best. This excites me.

 

[jenks_]

including two new apps that will help users track their sleep patterns and gauge their fitness levels by "measuring the time taken for the heart rate to fall from its peak to resting level," according to the report.

Is this referring to an app that already exists, or they're working on? I'm already aware of the sleep tracking, but not sure what "measuring the time taken for the heart rate to fall from its peak to resting level" is referring to.

EDIT: Well, nevermind, I was thinking of sleep tracking in iOS10, this sounds like a new sleep tracking for the watch.

 

[tennisproha]

"If you drive for a while and your car gets too hot, it says pull over. If you need an oil change, it says check your oil. What's the equivalent for the body?"

Pretty sure it's called a fever. Comes standard!

 

[methano]

Please explain the "so awful"?

They maintained what they had, but better sectioned, put prettier graphics you can ignore, everything else, it's the same.

These people trying to spread updatofobia...

If you don't want things to change stay away from Apple, because they are coming for your zone of comfort, they will come and will take your DVD drive, your USB ports, your 3.5mm jack and your phone keys, and your money too.

Gonky was right. The only useful things that the Health app did without sticking a probe in your flesh was to tracks steps, flights and distance. And you could see these first thing when you launched the app. All three, for a month, at the same time. Now you have to go through about 10 screens to get the same information and just remember what the last screen showed. All the while they're trying to upsell you on some other tracking app. What they did with the newest version was "so awful".

I suspect you agree and this post was "tongue in cheek". I wonder if a Health app could detect that.

 

[S.B.G]

Strange that they talk about this after making the health app so awful under iOS 10.

Coincidentally, I started playing around with the Health app earlier this morning for the first time. What did they do to make it "awful" in iOS 10 compared to what it was in iOS 9?

 

[Porco]

Unless I've missed something, the health app is worse in iOS 10 for me. In iOS 9 I had a simple dashboard that as soon as I entered the app I could see the things I cared about. Now I have to mess around in different categories for the same information. They need to allow you to mix categories into a single custom list like before. But it seems a recent Apple trend that where one click, tap or list was fine before, now everything is being buried in categories, sub-categories and menus, all for no obvious reason I can particularly ascertain.

It isn't internet trolling to point out that Apple made an app you use regularly has been made less efficient and more annoying to use, and I broadly admire Apple's interest and efforts in trying to advance both health and accessibilty functionality in their products.

 

[arthography]

/cheers

 

[rp2011]

I've always loved the idea. Bulk health data collecting will be a boon to understanding our bodies and help in identifying causes of illnesses in so many ways.

I think the biggest opponent for collecting health data would be the insurance industry. They'll tell you up and down its about privacy, but they just want to keep that industry as big as clustersfu*ck as possible. The more confusion, the less peopLe know, the better in keeping their shady industry in the shade.