Apple Adds Medical Records Feature For iPhone (cnbc.com)

On Wednesday, Apple released the test version of a new product that lets users download their health records, store them safely and show them to a doctor, caregiver or friend. "We view the future as consumers owning their own health data," Apple COO Jeff Williams said in an interview with CNBC. From the report: It all works when a user opens the iPhone's health app, navigates to the health record section, and, on the new tool, adds a health provider. From there, the user taps to connect to Apple's software system and data start streaming into the service. Patients will get notified via an alert if new information becomes available. In June, CNBC first reported on Apple's plans, including early discussions with top U.S. hospitals. The company confirmed that it has contracts with about a dozen hospitals across the country, including Cedars-Sinai, Johns Hopkins Medicine, Penn Medicine and the University of California, San Diego. The medical information available will include allergies, conditions, immunizations, lab results, medications, procedures and vitals. The information is encrypted and protected through a user's iPhone passcode.

Comments

How bout NO!

[Anonymous Coward]

If there is going to be some kind of exchange of patient records between DRs and patients, it needs to be some standard open format. Not apple's proprietary system.

Not to mention there is already enough with people self diagnosing on the web with the likes of WebMD and crackpot homeopathic sites, Last thing we need to do is empower this even more.

Also how long till "apple approved" services can import this data, like WebMD above or other crackpot sites and we end up with some huge HIPPA related data leak.