Apple Health Records expand to electronic medical records giant Allscripts

Digital health records company Allscripts has announced that Apple Health Records are now available for three of its flagship products, granting access to not just the health professionals, but for their patients as well.

Allscripts is one of the largest electronic health records companies in the U.S., with products providing digital distribution of health records dating back over 10 years. The company is headquartered in Chicago, Ill, with a large corporate presence in Raleigh, North Carolina. It

"With Health Records on iPhone, patients can become more active members of their own care team," said Allscripts Chief Executive Officer, Paul M. Black in a statement about the addition. "Health Records on iPhone empowers individuals to direct how their own health data is stored and used. We are proud to offer this and other FHIR-connected applications for our clients and their patients."

Sharp HealthCare, Think Whole Person Healthcare, UT Physicians, Blessing Health System, Erie County Medical Center, Sarasota Memorial Health Care System and Digestive Disease Associates are among the healthcare organizations that have participated in early testing with the Allscripts integration.

The new Health Records feature arrived in iOS 11.3 and enables providers to share data and results with patients more easily. In turn, consumers will be able to see available medical data from multiple providers like doctors, testing labs, pharmacies, therapists, and more. The data is encrypted and protected with a passcode.

Records stored in the Health app can include a list of allergies, clinical vitals, immunizations, lab results, procedures, and more. It also shows users a list of data sources and provides quick access to patient portals from healthcare providers.

In announcing Health Records, Apple said that it is working with the healthcare community to offer a consumer-friendly approach. Health Records are based on Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources, a standard for transferring electronic medical documents.

"Our goal is to help consumers live a better day. We've worked closely with the health community to create an experience everyone has wanted for years — to view medical records easily and securely right on your iPhone," Apple Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams said at the launch. "By empowering customers to see their overall health, we hope to help consumers better understand their health and help them lead healthier lives."

The Apple Health app at the core of the initiative, and accompanying HealthKit tools for developers were first introduced in 2014 with iOS 8. It has subsequently been expanded with ResearchKit tools for researchers, and CareKit to enable apps providing personal care.