On Monday, Apple released a new Health Records API for developers and researchers that will empower consumers to better manage medications, nutrition plans, diagnosed diseases and more directly from their iPhone. The new API integration with third-party developers will allow patients of more than 500 hospitals and clinics to access medical information from various institutions organized into one view on their iPhone.
Consumers will now be able to share their encrypted health records data from multiple hospitals with their favorite trusted apps. The data protected with the consumer’s iPhone passcode flows directly directly from HealthKit to the third-party app and is not sent to Apple’s servers.
Developers and researchers building health apps can personalize the consumer’s experience based on the consumer’s health history across four focus areas:
– Medical Research: With the new Health Records API, doctors can integrate patient medical data into their ResearchKit study apps for a more complete view of their participants’ health background.
– Medication Tracking: Medication management app Medisafe will integrate with Health Records feature so consumers can easily import their prescription list without manual entry, quickly enabling pill reminders and allowing the user to receive relevant medication information.
– Disease Management: A diabetes app could access a patient’s lab results from their Health Records as well as their diet and exercise details through the existing iOS HealthKit integration, allowing for a more complete picture of the consumer and the best ways to encourage them to stay on track.
– Nutrition Planning: A healthy eating app could offer consumers tailored programs based on their high blood pressure or cholesterol results by serving up low salt or high fiber meal plans.
“Medical information may be the most important personal information to a consumer, and offering access to Health Records was the first step in empowering them. Now, with the potential of Health Records information paired with HealthKit data, patients are on the path to receiving a holistic view of their health,” said Apple COO Jeff Williams. “With the Health Records API open to our incredible community of developers and researchers, consumers can personalize their health needs with the apps they use every day.”