What you need to know
- Apple is expanding its Health Records feature.
- It is now available in the Health app in the UK and Canada.
- It will be available to patients at a limited number of hospitals in the two countries.
Apple has today announced the expansion of its Health Records service to the UK and Canada.
In a press release the company stated:
The Health Records feature within the Health app is now available for users in the UK and Canada to securely view and store their medical records right on their iPhone, with their privacy protected at all times. Oxford University Hospitals and Women's College Hospital are among the first healthcare institutions in the UK and Canada to make this feature available to their patients. In the US, over 500 institutions currently support Health Records on iPhone, listing more than 11,000 care locations. Previously, patients' medical records were held in multiple locations, requiring patients to log in to each healthcare provider's website to piece together their health information manually. Health Records creates a direct connection between medical institutions and a patient's iPhone, allowing users to see a central view of their allergies, conditions, immunizations, lab results, medications, procedures, and vitals across multiple institutions, and to be notified when their data is updated.
Apple's VP of Technology, Kevin Lynch, stated: "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."
Health Records is built with privacy in mind, and protected by the usual array of iPhone encryption, your passcode, and Face ID or Touch ID. The CEO of NHSX, Matthew Gould, said the move was a "positive step".
Apple has partnered with five hospitals including the Oxford University Hospital and Milton Keynes University Hospital in the UK. In Canada, it is working with Women's College Hospital (Toronto), St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton, and Mackenzie Health (Richmond Hill).
