Apple introduced its Health Records feature in 2018, aiming to create a comprehensive overview of individual health records.
Recent surgical complications have vividly demonstrated the potential benefits of universal adoption of this feature, not only for patients, but also for healthcare professionals striving to provide optimal care.
While the feature has been tested in the UK, its rollout has been limited, as my own experiences underscored the void it could fill.
To avoid graphic details, I recently underwent abdominal surgery which regrettably led to two complications, including a severe infection. Here’s a brief summary of the healthcare journey I experienced:
- Surgery conducted at one hospital
- Two emergency room visits at a different location
- Blood tests for the infection at a separate urgent care facility
- An outpatient follow-up at hospital 1
- An outpatient check-up at hospital 2
- A consultation with the surgeon at hospital 1
- Follow-ups via a video-based family doctor service
Apple’s Health Records feature would have been ideal
A major challenge during this process was the delay in updating records, leading to incomplete information available to various healthcare providers. Notably, the urgent care center had no capacity to access or update my health records.
This resulted in a situation where I had to repeatedly update each healthcare provider on the entire history of my condition.
Thankfully, I had learned from previous encounters the significance of maintaining detailed records. I utilized the Notes app on my iPad and iPhone to construct an accurate timeline, including dates, times, practitioners, tests, diagnoses, and symptoms. This allowed me to efficiently provide clinicians with a thorough overview of my situation.
It seemed irrational that I was the only individual with a complete record at any moment, and two healthcare providers acknowledged that the information I compiled greatly influenced their understanding of my condition. They then had to reach out to obtain the necessary actual records.
If Apple Health Records were widely implemented, I could have had ready access not only to my logs but also to direct links to all related documentation. This would have enabled me to share the information seamlessly with each clinician involved, resulting in a more streamlined experience.
Technology in healthcare played a vital role as well
Health technology was also crucial during this period. My Oura Ring recorded temperature fluctuations, providing documentation of the onset of fever and its eventual resolution, which highlighted the severity of the infection even before lab results arrived.
Moreover, at one point during my hospital stay, my oxygen saturation levels were concerningly low, but I was able to reference previous readings on the app, providing both myself and the physician with reassurance that this was a temporary fluctuation and that my baseline levels are typically high.
(This situation further emphasizes the need for Apple to resolve the blood oxygen tracking issue with the Apple Watch.)
Conclusion
Apple has marketed its Health Records feature as a means to empower patients.
“We designed Health Records on iPhone to empower people to easily view their health records at any time, and we are thrilled to put this feature in the hands of customers in the UK and Canada,” said Kevin Lynch, Apple’s Vice President of Technology. “We believe people should have access to their health information in the most private and secure way, and we have worked hand in hand with healthcare institutions and organizations to put privacy at the center of the patient experience.”
This is undoubtedly a significant role. However, my experience illustrates that this feature has the potential not only to assist patients, but also to provide clinicians with direct access to comprehensive information crucial for their care. I sincerely hope for its wider implementation.
Image: DMN collage of images from Apple and Christian Harb on Unsplash
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