In a note to clients, Citigroup analyst Garen Sarafian recommended Apple purchase athenahealth, CNBC reports.
Rumors surrounding Apple's alleged interest in expanding its presence in the healthcare sector have continued to grow — CNBC, for example, reported June 14 the company may develop a way to bring medical records into the iPhone.
Mr. Sarafian suggested the purchase would help Apple address interoperability and highlighted how athenahealth comprises 83 million patient records and integrates with other IT systems, such as Epic and Cerner, according to CNBC. This type of data exchange could help Apple enter the healthcare sector, since the iPhone doesn't offer immediate access to clinical systems.
Apple has reportedly made a few acquisitions in the healthcare industry, mostly in regards to small startups, CNBC reports. The company recently acquired Beddit, a sleep monitor and mHealth app that tracks breathing, heart rate and room temperature, among other data.