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Apple’s Heath Records feature, which allows iPhone users to download their medical records to their smartphone, is now available in the UK and is being used by two hospital trusts.
The feature, which is part of Apple’s Health app, offers iPhone users the ability to request and download their electronic medical records stored by hospitals through a direct, encrypted connection between their iPhone and the system used by the clinic. The Health app then goes online periodically to search for new medical records and notify the user when new records are available.
Currently in the US, more than 500 institutions support the Health Records feature on the iPhone in 11,000 locations.
In many cases, patient medical records are kept in multiple locations, requiring patients to log into each healthcare provider’s website to collect their medical information manually.
Image: Apple
The medical records feature creates a direct connection between medical institutions and the patient’s iPhone, allowing users to see a centralized view of their health data, including allergies, conditions, immunizations, lab results, medications, procedures, and vital signs in multiple institutions. Patients can also receive notifications when their data is updated.
Apple said the feature uses an encrypted connection between the user’s iPhone and the healthcare organization, and that all medical record data is encrypted on the device and protected with the iPhone passcode, Touch ID or Face ID. of the user.
In the UK, two NHS trusts – the Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust will support the new functions, as well as three medical institutions in Canada, where the feature is also now available.
“Improving our services to patients while protecting their privacy and security is of the utmost importance to us,” said Professor Sir Jonathan Montgomery, Chairman of the NHS Foundation of Oxford University Hospitals and Professor of Health Law at University College From london. “This exciting development provides a more convenient option for patients to access their medical records. Patients maintain control over their own medical information at all times.”
