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Undoubtedly, Apple has made its mark on the world. More than 2.2 billion iPhones have been sold to date, depending on the total smartphone market. The company not only created an excellent hardware and software product, but also introduced a cultural paradigm for mobile phones. In fact, with the advent of the iPhone, society began to see the mobile phone as part of the human body – until they felt a sense of uneasiness and loss without always having a phone.
Since then the company has grown far beyond the original iPhone and created an entire ecosystem of applications and software. Specifically, Apple has made incredible strides in the field of healthcare, especially with its hardware.
One of the company’s most famous achievements is its electrocardiogram (ECG) feature. The ECG application records an “electrocardiogram which represents the electrical pulses that make your heart beat. The ECG app checks these pulses to find your heart rate and see if the upper and lower chambers of your heart are in rhythm. If they are out of rhythm, that could be AFib (atrial fibrillation). The ECG is one of the most widely used tests in emergency departments internationally. The value of this test is incredible, because it can clarify a variety of cardiac pathologies. In fact, this is one of Apple’s most important and influential additions to the world of healthcare.
Apple continued to create an entire ecosystem around healthcare through its “health app,” which helps “organize your important health information and make it easy to access in one secure central place.” Specifically, “Health puts important information at your fingertips, including your health records, medications, labs, activity and sleep. And it makes it simple to share that information safely. (In addition, the app collects) health and fitness data from your iPhone, the built-in sensors on your Apple Watch, compatible third-party devices, and apps that use HealthKit.” Most importantly, “The Health app is built to keep data secure and protect your privacy. Your data is encrypted and you are always in control of your health information.”
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – March 9, 2015: Apple CEO Tim Cook announces the Apple Watch during Apple … (+)
In its latest efforts, Apple is also reported to be developing a continuous glucose monitoring tool that is non-invasive and does not require finger pricking, unlike traditional systems. In fact, this is just another hardware advancement in Apple’s health ecosystem.
This ecosystem created a huge opportunity for Apple to partner with suppliers. Specifically, it paves the way for the company to partner with hospital systems and physician organizations for a variety of services, including home health monitoring programs and point-of-care delivery. In addition, with this strong product range, the company is rich in healthcare data. This could be particularly useful for payers (eg insurance companies), who are increasingly using patient data to optimize patterns of patient care and delivery of services. Indeed, both partnerships will be potentially revolutionary.
Overall, Apple is positioned to be a market leader and innovator. Undoubtedly, the company will continue to innovate new technologies and create new ways to provide relevant healthcare services. Of course he will have to develop this technology in a way that preserves patient safety, privacy, and in a way that meets the regulations. However, if done right, Apple has the potential to deliver incredible value to humanity in the years to come.
