Vendors, Organizations Start Cranking Out Apple Watch Apps

It’s only been a month since Apple officially launched its smartwatch designed as a comprehensive health and fitness companion. However, a variety of vendors, providers and insurers have wasted little time in developing apps for the new Apple Watch.


It’s only been a month since Apple officially launched its smartwatch designed as a comprehensive health and fitness companion. However, a variety of vendors, providers and insurers have wasted little time in developing apps for the new Apple Watch.

The Cupertino, Calif.-based company has began accepting orders for Apple Watch and on Friday reported that it had received about 1 million preorders for the smartwatch, which is expected to be available April 24. Healthcare apps are anticipated to be a prime function for the mobile device.

Also See: IBM-Apple Partnership Yields First Enterprise Mobile Apps for Healthcare

Here is a sampling of new apps recently announced for the watch:

*CareEvolution Inc. announced the cFHR Apple Watch App that connects patients with hospital-based caregivers and providers across the care continuum for Trinity Health, a leading national health system with 85 hospitals and 128 continuing care facilities in 21 states. “Trinity Health’s strategy is to deliver people-centered care that improves patients’ experiences, improves the health of populations and reduces the total cost of care, and that includes innovations that make it easier to access and use health-related information”The new app makes it quicker and simpler for patients to receive alerts, review new medical information and participate in the management of their health.

*Palo Alto, Calif.-based HealthTap has launched an Affordable Care app for Apple Watch, providing quick access to a physician, providing a connection to a primary care physician for a video consultation, priced at $2.99 per minute. The app also provides actionable, personalized notifications and reminders, as well as helpful healthcare content. HealthTap also is offering HealthTap for Doctors Apple Watch app, to get notifications, rate and review medications, and communicate with peers.

*Vocera Communications Inc., San Jose, Calif., on Monday announced the Vocera app for Apple Watch to extend the Vocera Communication Platform, enabling physicians and care teams to engage with and respond to life-critical communications and alerts. The app enables users to rapidly manage life-critical communications by viewing and responding to prioritized calls, alerts and messages from other care team members, electronic health records and clinical systems, including critical lab values and STAT orders.

*WebMD announced that it plans to launch an enhanced version of its flagship mobile app with an experience built specifically for Apple Watch that includes a new medication reminder feature designed to encourage medication compliance and help improve patient outcomes.

*Clue, a leading period tracking and fertility app, is planning to release its app for the Apple Watch. The app will enable women to use their Apple Watches to keep track of monthly cycles by entering data about periods, pain, mood, fluid, sexual activity and personal notes.

*Medisafe’s Apple Watch App offers consumers increased connectivity and access to manage their medications, making it even easier to remain adherent. The release follows Medisafe’s recent product update that enables integration of user biometrics into adherence reports.

*Kansas City, Mo.-based Cerner Corp. announced it will bring its patient app, HealthLife, to the Apple      Watch. The app is designed to make it easier for patients to manage their health, receiving push notification reminders to track health data and a display dashboard for tracked metrics.

In addition, in the opening keynote at the HIMSS15 conference on Monday, Walgreens President Alex Gourlay told the audience that the nation’s largest drugstore chain plans to launch an app next month for the Apple Watch “designed to help patients manage their medication regimes” by letting them know when it’s time to take their medication via alerts.

“The watch is a great way to improve medication adherence—we believe—because tasks can be accomplished with a quick glance and the touch of a button,” Gourlay said.

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