The Health Records feature within the Apple Health app is now available for users in the UK and Canada to securely view and store their medical records right on their iPhone.
Until now, these features were available only for the US iPhone users, and according to the Apple, the latest features allow users to see a central view of their allergies, conditions, immunizations, lab results, medications, procedures, and vitals across multiple institutions and be notified when their data is updated.
Over 500 institutions currently support Health Records on iPhone in the US, listing more than 11,000 care locations. Previously, patients’ medical records were held in multiple locations, requiring patients to log in to each healthcare provider’s website to piece together their health information manually, Apple said.
“We designed Health Records on iPhone to empower people to easily view their health records at any time, and we are thrilled to put this feature in the hands of customers in the UK and Canada,” said Kevin Lynch, Apple’s vice president of Technology. “We believe people should have access to their health information in the most private and secure way, and we have worked hand in hand with healthcare institutions and organizations to put privacy at the center of the patient experience.”
Five healthcare provider groups that have made the Apple new features available to their patients right off the bat: Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust in the UK, and Women’s College Hospital, St. Joseph’s Healthcare Hamilton, and Mackenzie Health in Canada.
“Women’s College Hospital is proud to be among the first in Canada to offer Health Records on iPhone,” said Heather McPherson, president and CEO of Women’s College Hospital. “As we accelerate our virtual care strategy, we are committed to shaping a health system that people can navigate more effectively. We believe that digital tools like Health Records can contribute to more informed decision making and improve the healthcare experience.”
Recently, Apple has launched Apple Watch Series 6 in a virtual press conference from Apple Park, its headquarters in California, to expand its health capabilities.
Digital Health Acquisitions: In 2019, Apple acquired patent rights for an in-bed health sensor system from Tueo Health, a provider of a non-contact wireless asthma management sensor that supports pediatric asthma patients to monitor individual, environmental, physiological, and other parameters. In 2018, Apple acquired Finnish company Beddit, a developer of sleep-tracking hardware and software, to further expand into health tracking business.
