Healthcare Technology Featured Article

September 10, 2014

Apple and Mayo Clinic Increase Collaboration on Health Technology


A study conducted recently by Endeavour Partners reveals that one in 10 U.S. consumers over the age of 18 now owns an activity tracker. This has encouraged multinational corporations of original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), mobile network operators (MNOs), health insurers and service providers to start introducing products and services to address the opportunities the wearable market offers.

When Apple announced its iWatch yesterday, it had already made arrangements to collaborate with a wide range of industries to ensure its watch would see a high rate of adoption with continual usage. One of these organizations was Mayo Clinic, an established health organization with a large following and strong digital presence.

Even though consumers are purchasing wearable technologies, the Endeavour Partners research points out the vast majority of these devices fail to drive long-term sustained engagement for most users. According to the study, more than half of U.S. consumers who have purchased activity trackers no longer use it, and a third of consumers who own one stopped using it within six months.

By forming this alliance with the Mayo Clinic before it introduced its iWatch, Apple has developed a platform for consumers so they can have a useful application that requires long-term engagement with measurable benefits as soon as they purchase the watch.

Both companies have been working together for close to two years to provide an intuitive and easy to use platform in which consumers can use to monitor their health and fitness activity. The data collected by the iWatch will give healthcare providers valuable information to improve the overall health of the user. The patients can use the Mayo Clinic app to view their personal health records, laboratory tests and more as the Apple HealthKit app introduces more applications to better reach patients remotely.

New pilot projects designed to interact with consumers and patients with chronic disorders are ready to launch. Conditions such as obesity, diabetes and cardiac disease can be controlled more efficiently if patients have a device that continuously reminds them when to check their blood sugar, heart rate or even provide information about the amount of calories in the food they are about to eat.

“As the exchanges and narrow networks come to fruition, patients and consumers are going to be a lot more savvy about their healthcare choices. Interacting with Apple allows us to reach those consumers and patients in a different way than we have,” said Dr. John Wald, Mayo Clinic medical director for public affairs.

The Internet, mobile technology and now wearables are giving consumers more tools to manage their health.  As the U.S. healthcare system continues to transform itself, consumers are increasingly taking matters into their own hands to ensure their long-term health. The collaboration of Apple and the Mayo Clinic is the beginning of many such alliances as companies look to provide personalized solutions and monetize their resources.




Edited by Alisen Downey
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