Health IT, Hospitals

Cleveland Clinic seeks to improve patient data access through Apple Health Records

The health system has joined the growing cohort of organizations participating in the Apple Health Records program, which lets patients view their health data from their iPhone.

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Cleveland Clinic has joined the cohort of healthcare organizations using the Apple Health Records program to give patients a way to access their personal health data.

Through the initiative, individuals can use their iPhone to view various pieces of health information, such as immunizations, lab results, medications, allergies and other conditions.

They can also utilize the MyChart portal (online or by downloading the app) to check out their data as well as schedule appointments, request medication renewals, message their clinicians and view physician notes.

In a statement, Amy Merlino, Cleveland Clinic’s chief medical information officer, commented:

When patients have direct access to their personal health information, they have the opportunity to live healthier lives. They are able to track important health factors, such as weight or cholesterol or blood sugar, to determine their own personal health trends over time. They are able to easily see a combined view of their information from multiple health systems, as well as have the ability to share their healthcare history with other providers.

Apple rolled out its Health Records beta program in January of this year by inviting 12 hospitals with patient portals to test out the app.

In March, the tech giant came out of the pilot and officially launched the feature. In addition to the 12 health systems beta testing the project, 27 more healthcare organizations jumped on board and signed up for the Health Records program.

A May KLAS report checked in with the 12 early adopters of Health Records and asked them about using the feature. Some expressed excitement about how it could improve the patient experience, while others were worried about the potential risks of patients sharing their medical data with third-party developers.

As of July 2, a total of more than 60 healthcare institutions support Health Records on the iPhone, according to an Apple announcement.

Photo: diego_cervo, Getty Images

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