In a bid to transform patient care using the power of technology, health systems are joining forces with tech giant Apple.
Recent partnerships reveal a growing trend of collaboration among health systems and Apple as organizations begin leveraging the tech giant's products and tools to enhance healthcare delivery and operations.
At a May 7 Apple Event, Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, mentioned how Tommy Korn, MD, ophthalmologist at San Diego-based Sharp HealthCare is using its Apple Vision Pro devices for surgical eye care.
Mr. Cook said this was being done through simulation, analysis and optimization.
In February, Sharp Healthcare invested in a fleet of 30 Vision Pro headsets, which run $3,500 apiece, so its clinicians and technologists could test them out and brainstorm ways to leverage the devices' spatial computing for enhanced effectiveness, productivity, collaboration, education and treatments.
These initiatives, Dr. Korn told Becker's in February, will span a wide spectrum of medical specialties and clinical roles, from the physician's office and operating room, to bedside care and caregiver education.
Palo Alto, Calif.-based Stanford Medicine is also testing out Apple's new headset in its surgical practice.
Alexander Perino, MD, a cardiac electrophysiologist at Stanford Health Care, used the Apple Vision Pro technology to conduct an ablation procedure. With the headset, Dr. Perino said he could manipulate virtual monitors efficiently, displaying all necessary data for the procedure.
With the success of Dr. Perino's initiative, Stanford said it is contemplating additional applications for the spatial computing system. This includes exploring its potential for educational and training purposes, along with considering more advanced applications within the operating room.
Meanwhile, Atlanta-based Emory Healthcare had Apple engineers on-site at its organization to implement Epic on a large scale on Mac platforms. Emory Healthcare is the first health system in the U.S. to do this.
With this, Emory's Chief Technology Officer Scott Smiser told Becker's that the health system plans to expand the use of Apple devices across its enterprise, with initiatives underway to create dedicated Apple zones at its facilities.