Ochsner Health System, based in New Orleans, La., will use the new Apple Watch to manage patients with chronic diseases.

The Apple Watch will be used to enhance the effectiveness of the Ochsner Hypertension Digital Medicine Program, a pilot program that tracks several hundred patients struggling to control their blood pressure. Through wireless blood pressure cuffs integrated with AppleHealthKit and Epic, Ochsner’s EMR, patients regularly measure their blood pressure and heart rate ratings at home while the data is sent directly to the clinic for monitoring. Specialized pharmacists review the data in real time to make medication adjustments and lifestyle recommendations as needed to insure good blood pressure control. Results are incorporated into MyOchsner, the system’s online patient portal, so that patients have access to their EMR and can receive progress reports on their status.

Through the Apple Watch, patients now can receive medication reminders which include actual pictures of the pill, feedback from clinicians about potential side effects once a new medication is prescribed, renewal notification for prescriptions, and activity tracking and exercise reminders.

“Typically, hypertension patients see their physician a few times a year. Now, we are offering a new way to deliver care in patients with chronic diseases in which we can communicate with the patient in a more intimate way, more frequently,” said Richard Milani, MD, Ochsner's chief clinical transformation officer, in a release. “We recognize that to be impactful with this method, we need to fundamentally change behavior. We can do this by providing continuous feedback with reminders and words of encouragement to promote lifestyle modification. What better way than to utilize the capabilities of the Apple Watch to make this an easier transition.”

“This makes health tracking less of a burden for the patient,” said pharmacist Valentina Guzman, PharmD, BCPS. “Diet, exercise and medication adherence are all critical factors in managing hypertension. Using the Apple Watch is a step in the right direction so patients can take control of their healthcare needs.”

This announcement comes on the heels of Ochsner's recent launch of an innovation accelerator called innovationOchsner--iO--to drive patient-focused health innovations as well as support companies that are working to revolutionize patient-centered care.