“Apple has dozens of medical doctors working across its various teams, say two people familiar with the company’s hiring, showing how serious it is about health tech,” Christina Farr reports for CNBC.
“These hires are not just for show, according to people familiar with the doctors and their roles,” Farr reports. “CNBC was able to locate 20 physicians at Apple via LinkedIn searches and sources familiar, and other people said as many as 50 doctors work there.”
“The number of doctors on staff is an indication that Apple is serious about helping customers manage disease, and not just wellness or fitness,” Farr reports. “Many are working on Apple Watch, which has a variety of different product groups focusing on health sensors (several teams contain an embedded doctor, according to people familiar). Some are on the health records group, helping develop the company’s software to aggregate patient medical information and store it securely, and others are doing research and development work. ”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: Hopefully, these docs can help Apple get us all to secure portable electronic health records ASAP.
One of the biggest issues in healthcare in the U.S. today is that there is no “Quartberback” – someone running the effort, coordinating the various specialists, making sure everyone is on the same page with the treatment plan(s), drug interactions, allergies, etc. A “playbook” showing the full picture of the patient’s health data would be very useful – and let the disparate medical personnel each quarterback on their own. Hopefully, Apple can step in, build, and fulfill this need with the company’s vaunted security and privacy. — MacDailyNews, August 22, 2016
How much this would improve healthcare cannot be overstated. Apple will save lives here. — MacDailyNews, June 15, 2017
SEE ALSO:
Apple in talks to give U.S. veterans access to electronic medical records – November 20, 2018
Apple working with start-up on iPhone Electronic Health Records plan – June 19, 2017
Apple’s profound iPhone plans for healthcare – June 15, 2017
Apple acquires Gliimpse – August 22, 2016
Apple rehires Flipboard co-founder Evan Doll to develop health software – August 12, 2016
Apple working on all-new, advanced health-tracking hardware; years in the making – August 9, 2016
Tim Cook hints Apple might build a health device – November 10, 2015
Apple’s Tim Cook declares the end of the PC and hints at new medical product – November 10, 2015
Apple announces new ResearchKit studies for autism, epilepsy and melanoma – October 15, 2015
GlaxoSmithKline working on integrating Apple’s revolutionary ResearchKit into clinical trials – July 13, 2015
ResearchKit, Apple’s medical data experiment, explained – May 20, 2015
Apple announces ResearchKit available today to medical researchers – April 14, 2015
Why Apple’s ResearchKit signals a golden age for health care – March 28, 2015
ResearchKit: The inside story of how Apple’s revolutionary medical research platform was born – March 19, 2015
Apple’s open source ResearchKit will change the world for the better – March 9, 2015
Apple debuts ResearchKit, giving medical researchers the tools to revolutionize medical studies – March 9, 2015
Well you never know when a fragile bird might hit the glass…
I thought those doctors were being assigned to sick Apple investors who are suffering all sorts of maladies and ailments since Apple stock has taken a nearly 28% drop. Oh, Apple, is there a doctor in the house? I ain’t been feelin’ too well, lately.
Good for those who have an AppleWatch and can monitor any uneven heartbeats when listening to daily Apple stock market results.
That’s an amazing number. This is not a half hearted effort. I can’t wait to see what they come up with.
The potential for development in the health area is so exciting when you look at Apple’s WILLINGNESS to invest the the R&D ended.
Two critical numbers, Blood Glucose and Blood Oxygen levels are one of the foundations. Blood Glucose is currently available from a third party that has the sensor on the abdomen and connects with an iPhone/Watch every 5 minutes. Oxygen levels in the blood are also available with inexpensive (from about $35), but they need human intervention to get the number.
Medical records are currently a challenge because of competition from companies making profitable systems. Some parts should be fairly simple – on lab reports there are consistent codes for the results. Most medical conditions will have a condition code and sub codes.
Beyond these types of issues there might be a need for the FDA or Department of Health to set format standards and other codes.
I’m pleased with the Doctors on Apple’s staff. Now Apple might need to start hiring folks from the health insurance industry as there is some major work to be done on in bringing them into the fold!
I am sure a fair number of these doctors are helping passed out Apple designers overthinking the new 2019 Mac Pro with another gut wrenching outbreak of painful clueless-itis.
A Doctor per day keeps the Mac Pro at bay…..