Issue link: https://beckershealthcare.uberflip.com/i/351959
45 Health Information Technology Apple Partners With Epic, Mayo on New Health App Platform By Helen Gregg I n June, Apple introduced HealthKit, a mobile platform that combines data from other health-tracking apps and displays composite informa- tion in a dashboard format through a new app, simply called Health. HealthKit was designed to un-silo data from the over 100,000 health and fitness apps currently in the iTunes store, making it easier for users to track their overall well-being. "With your permission, each app can use specific information from other apps to provide a more comprehensive way to manage your health and fit- ness," according to an Apple news release. "For example, the Nike+ apps using NikeFuel will be able to pull in other key HealthKit metrics such as sleep and nutrition to build a custom user profile and improve athletic performance." This is not an entirely new idea. In March, Samsung introduced S Health, which compiles data from external sensors and user input into one dashboard. Chuck Parker, executive director of the nonprofit Continua Health Alliance, a group of healthcare and technology companies focused on establishing a system of interoperable personal connected health solutions, says the rise of platforms like HealthKit and S Health have the potential to increase consumer use of health tracking apps. "It's great to see platforms like these deploying as a common way of using these tools," he says. "It makes it much easier to not worry about the app but to put it all together to better measure individual health." What makes HealthKit different from S Health or similar platforms, how- ever, is Apple's partnerships with Epic Systems and Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, which has reportedly been working with Apple for the past five years on HealthKit, will provide health information and content through the new platform. The partnership will also allow user data to be sent to Mayo physicians and provide a way for physicians to then contact patients for follow-up care. "We believe Apple's HealthKit will revolutionize how the health industry in- teracts with people," said John Noseworthy, MD, president and CEO of the Rochester, Minn.-based organization, in Apple's news release. It's the partnership with Epic, however, that has the most potential to af- fect the health IT industry. By integrating with Epic records, the platform could help compile more of a patient's information in one place, presenting a more comprehensive picture of the patient's health and providing physicians with more data with which to devise treatment plans. It also has the potential to further increase Epic's prominence in the market — it has been estimat- ed that 51 percent of the U.S. population will have an Epic medical record by next year, a figure that could rise if providers feel additional pressure to switch to Epic. n Answering the call of hospital and medical staff leaders We're not exactly superheroes. But we help hospitals to confront challenges and achieve excellence every day. Just a phone call away, we're ready to partner with your forces to tackle whatever you're facing with efficient, powerful, bullet-proof solutions. Got compliance concerns? Physician-related problems? Credentialing or quality conundrums? Call The Greeley Company. What we do Our work with hospitals nationwide targets both traditional and contemporary challenges in the following three core areas: 1. Medical Staff Optimization & Physician Alignment 2. Compliance, Accreditation & Quality 3. Credentialing & Privileging 888-749-3054 info@greeley.com www.greeley.com Typical outcomes • Quality improvement • Cost reduction and improved margins • Accreditation and regulatory compliance • Physician engagement • Process optimization Outsourcing Solutions Interim Staffing External Peer Review Leadership Seminars & Onsite Education Consulting