First fruits of Apple’s m-health ambitions ripen
A little more than a month after Apple presented CareKit, an open-source framework aimed at software developers interested in helping folks proactively manage their own medical conditions, the tech giant has announced the first four apps to come of the offering.
A software startup called One Drop has developed an app to help diabetics track symptoms, set health benchmarks and share health reports with their doctors, The Verge reports.
Another startup, Glow, has integrated CareKit into two of its existing apps for pregnant women and new mothers who want to keep all members of their care team apprised through baby’s first year.
And the software company Iodine has come up with an app called Start that lets people with depression update their docs with changes in clinical depression scores—directly, via low-tech fax.
The latter idea seems especially well-tuned to the situation “on the ground” in many a physician’s office.
“The biggest challenge will be quality control and convincing doctors to use these apps,” NYU biomedical ethicist Arthur Caplan, PhD, told The Verge. “[D]octors are not the most tech savvy folks, so I think Apple had best be advised to go slow.”
Dave P. has worked in journalism, marketing and public relations for more than 30 years, frequently concentrating on hospitals, healthcare technology and Catholic communications. He has also specialized in fundraising communications, ghostwriting for CEOs of local, national and global charities, nonprofits and foundations.