Health Record Providers Cerner and Athenahealth Developing HealthKit Apps

[MacRumors]

Cerner and Athenahealth, two of the leading electronic health record providers in the United States, will be developing apps that work with Apple's Health app, according to Reuters.

Cerner and Athenahealth representatives said they are building integrations with HealthKit and working with Apple. Previously, Apple announced a partnership with rival electronic health record company Epic Systems. Apple did not respond to a request for comment.

The new apps are likely to be similar to Epic's MyChart [Direct Link] app, which gives users access to lab results, appointment information, medication and more. The MyChart app also uses Apple's HealthKit as a traffic controller to send some information about a patient, like weight, in the opposite direction, Epic told VentureBeat.

Yesterday, Apple found a last-minute bug in HealthKit that forced the company to pull compatible apps from the App Store. Apple is currently working on a fix, which it promises will arrive by the end of September.

Article Link: Health Record Providers Cerner and Athenahealth Developing HealthKit Apps

 

[engg2000]

Athena...hope that company doesn't share records with insurance companies.

 

[macs4nw]

Athena...hope that company doesn't share records with insurance companies.

Don't hold your breath, once we enable 'permissions' in those Apps, Lord knows where all that data ends up.

 

[69Mustang]

Don't hold your breath, once we enable 'permissions' in those Apps, Lord knows where all that data ends up.

100% this. I don't understand why so many people are overjoyed with aggregating their personal health data, thus making it that much easier for insurance companies to gain access.

Hyperbolic: I can just see some insurance company issuing a subpoena for someone's Healthkit data in an effort to deny a claim.

 

[Robert.Walter]

Athena...hope that company doesn't share records with insurance companies.

Are you thinking Aetna instead of Athena?

Regarding sharing with insurance companies, what makes you think that they already don't? I wouldn't be surprised to learn that the med and med insurance industry have much more, and get it faster, access to my health data than I do!

 

[blackbee045]

Lord knows where all that data ends up.

 

[flux73]

100% this. I don't understand why so many people are overjoyed with aggregating their personal health data, thus making it that much easier for insurance companies to gain access.

Hyperbolic: I can just see some insurance company issuing a subpoena for someone's Healthkit data in an effort to deny a claim.

On the flip side, your Healthkit data could also be used to support your claim. "Yes, I did in fact get diagnosed with X that required testing by Y and procedure Z."

If you have a valid claim, then you wouldn't want to hide anything. You'd want them to know everything.