Last May, Apple launched a feature in its Health app that allows users to store their medical records. To make this feature successful, Apple CEO Tim Cook has vocalized the importance of trust and privacy, according to NPR.
University of California-San Francisco and more than 200 other providers teamed up with Apple to use the health records feature. Patients can record blood pressure, medications taken, treatments for diseases and visits to mental healthcare providers, among other health-related measurements.
Recently, Facebook and rival Google have been in the spotlight for selling user data for ads. Apple is trying to avoid this.
"People will look at this and feel they can trust Apple," Mr. Cook said in an interview with NPR.
But maintaining trust between tech users and EHR developers is crucial, Mr. Cook said.
"The reality is that I know for me, I want to do business with people that have my health data, people that I deeply trust," he said.
Physicians and patients both have expressed comfort and trust when using Health's records feature. Chris Longhurst, MD, CIO at UC San Diego Health, said he has seen the benefits of Apple's privacy values.
"Nothing is more important that keeping the privacy of our patients' health information," Dr. Longhurst told NPR.
Apple's EHR feature does not store data in the cloud.
"It only resides on the user's device, is encrypted and is only accessible with user permission," Dr. Longhurst said.
With the rise in virtual healthcare, UC San Diego and other providers are looking to partner with other companies to develop EHRs and mobile health records for patients.
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