Apple's health hires geared towards sharing, interpreting data, including new Watch apps

Apple's continued hiring of health experts — and its takeover of Gliimpse — are all geared toward building better electronic health records, and turning that data into advice for both doctors and device owners, a report indicated on Monday.

As a part of this, the company is working on new apps for the Apple Watch, a source explained to Bloomberg. The first will track sleep patterns, while the second will gauge the time it takes for heart rate to fall from peak to resting level.

Currently, watchOS 3 can natively monitor heart rate, but doesn't do any interpretation. There are no native sleep tracking functions, presumably because people normally have to charge their Watch overnight.

Several sources said that Apple wants to turn iOS' HealthKit into a tool that can improve diagnoses. It could do this partly by making it easier for doctors to find and extrapolate useful data, and also by making it easy to transfer data from hospital to hopsital, across different databases.

This is believed to be why Apple bought Gliimpse, a company specializing in sharing electronic health records, particularly among multiple providers.

Despite Apple's interests, the company isn't expected to add more sensors to the Watch anytime soon, like a glucometer or blood pressure reader. One of the sources claimed that an accelerometer can produce most of the data needed to judge a person's health, and that those extra sensors would help just a small percentage of people.

A Moor Insights & Strategy consultant noted that adding more sensors would likely demand approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, including specifications no Apple Watch has been able to meet: full-day battery life, and the ability to operate without being paired to an iPhone.

That will presumably require an LTE-equipped model, which could arrive next year, but it's not clear how Apple will surmount battery obstacles. The Series 2 is already thicker than its predecessor for the sake of battery life, while simply accommodating GPS and a faster processor.

10 Comments

TomE 174 comments · 8 Years

About 8 years ago

Apple Health is the future. It is now. Apple is missing the boat.
We need this fast.
I have been using the Health App since shortly after it came out.
It is not perfect. I could not easily print the data, show or give it to my MD's. Lacking these basic functions. Should be able to export it to FileMaker, Excel or Numbers with a click not a "magic act". I need the sleep data. There are millions of people who have sleep difficulties that the watch could assist with , but the battery does not last long enough to go over night without a recharge.
Like how hard is it to do this from the Mac, iPad or Phone - it is not.
It would be useful to add some other data points - user defined.
Example: When I check by BP, I get the heart rate automatically. I need a 3rd field for heart rate when I check my BP.
Who is doing this work ? Apparently they quit or were fired and the new people are confused and not very good at this.

The Health App has recently changed and it is not a change for the better. It is much more difficult to use. I don't care it they offer an option to group the data into several areas, but it does not make sense for me or my MD's. This is complete waste of time to a user what has been done. Don't force these groupings on me or the MD's.

I have already selected what I wanted to show in the "dashboard" and now it has been rearranged and requires more "taps" to find what I want. I am not a happy camper. Mac User since before 1984. Obviously who ever "rev'ed" it last, doesn't have a need to use the app. My MD's want to see everything I have selected and been tracking - not to have to watch me fiddle around looking for a complete list. It is like the new Coke machines - they slow down the dispensing of the product. 3-4 clicks to select a Raspberry Coke. Once I got used to it, Coke marketing (idiots) changed the programing of the machine. Not an Improvement Coke - Read this Apple - Keep it simple. Make it work fast.

Suggestion: Read my first paragraph closely , also, someone needs to make it easy to integrate the other step trackers' data, i.e., fitbit. I am going to get an Apple Watch, but darn, how hard is it to do this ? Not very hard.
TomE

sflocal 6133 comments · 16 Years

About 8 years ago

TomE said:

Apple Health is the future. It is now. Apple is missing the boat.
We need this fast.
I have been using the Health App since shortly after it came out.
It is not perfect. I could not easily print the data, show or give it to my MD's. Lacking these basic functions. Should be able to export it to FileMaker, Excel or Numbers with a click not a "magic act". I need the sleep data. There are millions of people who have sleep difficulties that the watch could assist with , but the battery does not last long enough to go over night without a recharge.
Like how hard is it to do this from the Mac, iPad or Phone - it is not.
It would be useful to add some other data points - user defined.
Example: When I check by BP, I get the heart rate automatically. I need a 3rd field for heart rate when I check my BP.
Who is doing this work ? Apparently they quit or were fired and the new people are confused and not very good at this.

The Health App has recently changed and it is not a change for the better. It is much more difficult to use. I don't care it they offer an option to group the data into several areas, but it does not make sense for me or my MD's. This is complete waste of time to a user what has been done. Don't force these groupings on me or the MD's.

I have already selected what I wanted to show in the "dashboard" and now it has been rearranged and requires more "taps" to find what I want. I am not a happy camper. Mac User since before 1984. Obviously who ever "rev'ed" it last, doesn't have a need to use the app. My MD's want to see everything I have selected and been tracking - not to have to watch me fiddle around looking for a complete list. It is like the new Coke machines - they slow down the dispensing of the product. 3-4 clicks to select a Raspberry Coke. Once I got used to it, Coke marketing (idiots) changed the programing of the machine. Not an Improvement Coke - Read this Apple - Keep it simple. Make it work fast.

Suggestion: Read my first paragraph closely , also, someone needs to make it easy to integrate the other step trackers' data, i.e., fitbit. I am going to get an Apple Watch, but darn, how hard is it to do this ? Not very hard.
TomE

Really? Apple is missing what boat? Apple designed and created that boat. You're just coming across as someone that wants everything now, regulations be damned.

There's this little thing called "FDA" that is preventing Apple from going all out with medical devices. There are currently several 3rd-party projects going on to take the watch to the next level. Those devices have to go through major testing and clinical trials before they get the FDA approval.

So while you may think it's "not very hard", I more than welcome you to do just that and see how well you do. There are plenty of ambulance-chasing attorneys ready to sue you (or Apple) the moment they get a whiff that something was done on the fast-track.

realjustinlong 93 comments · 12 Years

About 8 years ago

TomE said:

It is like the new Coke machines - they slow down the dispensing of the product. 3-4 clicks to select a Raspberry Coke. Once I got used to it, Coke marketing (idiots) changed the programing of the machine. Not an Improvement Coke - Read this Apple - Keep it simple. Make it work fast.

I am not a doctor but your familiarity with a concentrated sugar dispenser should really be a concern if you are so worried about your health.

mike1 3431 comments · 10 Years

About 8 years ago

TomE said:

Apple Health is the future. It is now. Apple is missing the boat.
We need this fast.
I have been using the Health App since shortly after it came out.
It is not perfect. I could not easily print the data, show or give it to my MD's. Lacking these basic functions. Should be able to export it to FileMaker, Excel or Numbers with a click not a "magic act". I need the sleep data. There are millions of people who have sleep difficulties that the watch could assist with , but the battery does not last long enough to go over night without a recharge.
Like how hard is it to do this from the Mac, iPad or Phone - it is not.
It would be useful to add some other data points - user defined.
Example: When I check by BP, I get the heart rate automatically. I need a 3rd field for heart rate when I check my BP.
Who is doing this work ? Apparently they quit or were fired and the new people are confused and not very good at this.

The Health App has recently changed and it is not a change for the better. It is much more difficult to use. I don't care it they offer an option to group the data into several areas, but it does not make sense for me or my MD's. This is complete waste of time to a user what has been done. Don't force these groupings on me or the MD's.

I have already selected what I wanted to show in the "dashboard" and now it has been rearranged and requires more "taps" to find what I want. I am not a happy camper. Mac User since before 1984. Obviously who ever "rev'ed" it last, doesn't have a need to use the app. My MD's want to see everything I have selected and been tracking - not to have to watch me fiddle around looking for a complete list. It is like the new Coke machines - they slow down the dispensing of the product. 3-4 clicks to select a Raspberry Coke. Once I got used to it, Coke marketing (idiots) changed the programing of the machine. Not an Improvement Coke - Read this Apple - Keep it simple. Make it work fast.

Suggestion: Read my first paragraph closely , also, someone needs to make it easy to integrate the other step trackers' data, i.e., fitbit. I am going to get an Apple Watch, but darn, how hard is it to do this ? Not very hard.
TomE

Sounds like a business opportunity for you then. Go for it.