Apple’s health records work with the VA is a big deal, and not just for veterans

“Apple announced on Monday that it’s working with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to bring health records to the iPhone,” Christina Farr reports for CNBC. “That means that vets receiving their care from the VA will be able to see medical information like allergies, immunizations, labs and procedures directly on their iPhones with just a few clicks.”
“Apple already works with dozens of hospitals that are integrated with its Health Records software, so their patients can access clinical information. But the VA, which represents 9 million people, is a big step forward for the company, as it’s the largest medical system in the country,” Farr reports. “It’s also a big deal for people who aren’t veterans.”
“‘The barriers are coming down,’ said Kenneth Mandl, a director of computational health informatics at Boston Children’s Hospital and a longtime advocate of the ‘App Store for health’ concept. ‘And Apple is a first mover in taking advantage of these new laws and regulations,’ he explained… Mandl believes it’s only a matter of time before commercial insurers and other groups follow suit,” Farr reports. “As this trend continues, anyone with a smartphone will someday be able to see their clinical record (what happened when they got treated at a hospital or clinic), and their claims history (what got billed). That unified data set will also open up a lot of opportunities for health app developers that can generate important new insights.”
Read more in the full article here.
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blockquote>MacDailyNews Take: Hopefully, Apple can deliver secure, life-saving portable electronic health records to us all 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:
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Apple launches online store with 10 percent discount for active U.S. Military, National Guard, Reserve and veterans – December 3, 2018
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
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Tim Cook hints Apple might build a health device – November 10, 2015
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Apple announces ResearchKit available today to medical researchers – April 14, 2015
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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
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