Apple has added digital health records company Allscripts to its Health Records. This lets patients and medical professionals share and access medical records on Apple devices.
Health
Apple's Health Team Have Different Visions for the Future
Some employees have left Apple’s health team over the past year, and it seems they all have different visions of the future.
Apple, Eli Lilly Introduce Dementia Study With Apple Watch
Apple is working with pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and health startup Evidation on a dementia study using data captured from devices.
The 5G 'Health Hazard' Was a Misinterpretation
In 2000 a physicist was asked to study the health risks of wireless networks. He found [PDF] that there “was likely to be a serious health hazard.” Except he was wrong.
In his research, Dr. Curry looked at studies on how radio waves affect tissues isolated in the lab, and misinterpreted the results as applying to cells deep inside the human body. His analysis failed to recognize the protective effect of human skin. At higher radio frequencies, the skin acts as a barrier, shielding the internal organs, including the brain, from exposure. Human skin blocks the even higher frequencies of sunlight.
Despite all the studies showing a link between smartphones and cancer being debunked, I don’t think this idea will ever go away.
Health Insurer Anthem Poaches Apple Health Employees
Health insurance company Anthem has poached employees from Apple’s health division, as well as a couple of machine learning experts.
Australian Women's Cricket Team uses Apple Watch to Train
The Australian Women’s Cricket team uses the Apple Watch to train. Collected data includes mood and sleep as a way to avoid major injuries.
Apple Stores Now Sell One Drop Blood Glucose Monitor
Long sold online, Apple stores have now added the One Drop blood glucose monitor to its inventory.
Activ5 Smart Fitness Devices Launches in Apple Stores
Activbody, Inc., announced that its flagship product, the portable smart fitness device Activ5, is now available at apple.com and in select Apple Stores. The Activ5 is unique because, with its companion training app, users are able to access and track their activity from over a hundred personalized 5-minute strength-training workouts and exercises that can be performed anywhere. Activ5 recently announced an Apple Watch app and the adoption of HealthKit. The app includes exercise and heart rate tracking and calculates energy burned. With HealthKit, users will be able to see the data tracked on Apple Watch in the Apple Health app on iPhone. “We are experiencing phenomenal interest and growth globally due to the effectiveness of Activ5, and our ongoing commitment to meaningful, customer-centric enhancements including our recent Apple Watch app announcement,” said Dan Stevenson, CEO of Activbody. You can buy it from the Apple Store, online and retail, for US$129.95.
Apple Watch Grant Program Launches This Fall
A limited Apple Watch grant program is launching this fall for ResearchKit and CareKit researchers. It’s part of what Apple calls an “Investigator Support Pilot.”
Apple said the new initiative, which is currently still in development, will have a simple submission process through the redesigned ResearchKit and CareKit website. While details on the new program were light during Apple’s presentation, the company said it would prioritize “studies that advance science and help people to lead healthier lives by uniquely leveraging our ecosystem,” and that more info would be available on the new website soon.
Nike Training Club Gets a Premium Subscription With Master Training
I’ve been using Nike Training Club for a year now, and it’s a great fitness app. Version 6.0.0 brings a premium training subscription. You’ll get workouts hosted by Nike Master Trainers in 4-6 week programs, with expert nutrition advice, wellness guidance including mindset, recovery, and sleep. The app brings new workout formats like on-demand classes and whiteboard workouts for gym-style training. Apple Watch support for the premium program is coming in the future. Finally, workout reminders help you says motivated to continue your routine. App Store: Free (Offers In-App Purchases).
Apple Glasses Could be the Company’s Next Health Device
Apple Glasses that use augmented reality have a lot of potential, like gaming and Apple Maps directions. What if health could be another feature?
Google Fit for iOS is Here
Google announced today that its Google Fit app that launched on Android in 2014 is now available for iOS.
Morgan Stanley: 4 Ways Apple Could Expand Healthcare Push
Morgan Stanley has four ideas for Apple to expand its presence in the healthcare industry, projecting up to a US$313 billion revenue opportunity by 2027.
Going forward, Morgan Stanley suggests that Apple could boost its health initiatives in several different ways. For instance, it could add blood pressure, glucose, and sleep tracking integration to the Apple Watch. It could also add hearing aid functionality to AirPods. The analysts also note that Apple could accelerate its future health efforts by acquiring an existing health company.
Meditab Health Tech Company Data Leak
California company Meditab, which makes medical records software for hospitals, doctor’s offices, and pharmacies, exposed data on a server without a password (via TechCrunch). [Apple Health Records Gets Positive Feedback From Patients] Meditab Leak Besides medical records software, Meditab also processes faxes for healthcare providers, and it was a fax server that wasn’t secured. Dubai…
Hospital Program for Pregnant Women Compatible With HealthKit
At a hospital in New Orleans a program for pregnant women called Connected Maternity Online Monitoring (MOM) was set up like a Genius Bar and is compatible with HealthKit.
Hatamian was intrigued and agreed to sign up. After her first visit with an obstetrician, she went over to the Ochsner “O Bar,” a part of the hospital modeled on the Apple Genius Bar. But instead of iPhones, the technologies on display included connected weight scales, blood pressure monitors and activity trackers. The O Bar gave Hatamian a set of devices selected for expectant mothers, including a wireless weight scale and a blood pressure cuff, as well as dipsticks and cups to measure protein levels in urine.
Apple Watch Health Features Can Change Medicine
Apple Watch health features and fitness tracking have the potential to change medicine. Dan Hon writes how his friend’s Apple Watch helped him.
One day, while I was testing my own Apple Watch, Tom was deconstructing a rack of network equipment. He suddenly noticed his heart was pounding. Then he began feeling dizzy. Next came tunnel vision. He needed to sit down.
I think more and more health features will come to the Apple Watch,, such as blood glucose monitoring.
Tim Cook Talks Privacy and Health in Interview
So far, doctors have been fairly comfortable with Apple’s health features because of the company’s commitment to privacy.
Apple Watch Sleep Tracking Could Arrive Next Year
Bloomberg claims that Apple Watch sleep tracking features could arrive by 2020.
Apple Health Records are Coming for Veterans
Apple has been working with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and announced that Health Records are coming for veterans.
Your Health Data is Turned Into a Risk Score and Sold
Yet another reason why we need privacy laws. Companies collect your health data and turn it into a “risk score” which gets sold to doctors, insurers, and hospitals.
Over the past year, powerful companies such as LexisNexis have begun hoovering up the data from insurance claims, digital health records, housing records, and even information about a patient’s friends, family and roommates, without telling the patient they are accessing the information, and creating risk scores for health care providers and insurers.
There is no law against collecting and using this data.
February is Heart Month for Apple Watch Users
Apple announced that February is Heart Month, and during the month there will be Activity Challenges on Apple Watch.
This Planned Parenthood Chatbot Can Answer Your Teen's Sex Questions
Planned Parenthood has a chatbot called Roo that can answer questions about sex your teens may have.
Many teens search for answers online, but the internet is rife with misinformation. As a result, reproductive health organization Planned Parenthood is releasing a chatbot that will provide teens ages 13 to 17–or anyone who has a question–with accurate information about their bodies and sexual health.
I wish I had had a tool like this. When I was a young’un I took out a library book to figure out what that weird puberty thing was all about.
Oak Offers Simple, Guided Meditations
Oak helps the monkey-minded decompress by transforming meditation practices from experiments into habits. It supports you from your first session to your 500th, with mindful, loving-kindness, and sleep meditations as well as unguided sessions and breathing exercises. Individualize your guided meditations by duration, and customize with silence or calming background sounds. Oak tracks your progress and encourages you to continue building a healthy meditation practice. Plus, the app can integrate with the Health app, allowing you to track your meditative minutes over time. App Store: Oak – Free
Apple, Johnson & Johnson, Partner on Stroke Prevention Study
It’s not known how many participants will be in the study, or how long the study will run.