Apple Watch Promotes Patient Generated Health Data

Apple’s new releases are always highly anticipated by the general public, but the company’s latest announcement of the Apple Watch has the healthcare community’s full attention. Apple’s CEO Tim Cook announced the Apple Watch as the company’s first new product category in four years. Apple is pushing its way into healthcare technology with a new HealthKit app to be launched with Apple’s latest operating system iOS8. Apple has been known for its products’ user friendliness and the Apple Watch should be no different with this new wearable health technology.

The anticipated Apple Watch holds a lot of promise for the healthcare industry. With the new device on the wrist, the Apple Watch puts personal health information at one’s fingertips as it’s able to monitor and track fitness, nutrition, vitals, and results. If used effectively, Apple Watch will be more than just a cool new gadget, but an important medical tool that becomes part of the patient-doctor dialog as it allows patients to easily track important patient generated data (PGD).

As a company that strives for patient engagement, Get Real Health is looking forward to seeing what Apple Watch does for consumer health awareness. We’re excited to see a consumer company who’s always pushed the envelope enter the health space and wearables market with both HealthKit and the Apple Watch. Apple has no doubt brought more mainstream attention to the consumer healthcare space and as a technology innovator its focus on usability will only help push the space further and hopefully encourage patients to take control of their health by accessing and sharing their records online.