Electronic Health Reporter

Cerner has announced it will bring its patient app, HealtheLife, to Apple Watch.

Cerner’s newly-released iOS 8 HealtheLife app is designed to make it easier for patients to manage their health from Apple Watch, with push notification reminders to track health data and a display dashboard for tracked metrics.

“Apple Watch is the next evolution connecting consumers and their health team to the clinical community, regardless of physical location,” said Brian Carter, senior director and general manager, personal health, Cerner. “This is just the first step in the evolution of sharing personal health data – to provide physicians with access to actionable data anytime, anywhere, not just what’s collected at the doctor’s office.”

This month, Cerner will conduct initial deployments with clients to collect biometric values from the Apple Watch-compatible HealtheLife app, including weight, blood pressure and blood sugar values. With the patient’s consent, the data will be sent directly to Cerner Millennium® electronic health record.

“The status of a person’s health is greatly related to what they’re doing personally on a day-to-day basis. This information is vital to providers so they can focus on personalized patient care and population health management,” said Carter.

Emory Healthcare and Agnesian HealthCare will be the first health systems to deploy this technology. Emory, the largest health system in Georgia, will receive data from patients through HealthKit.

“Cerner’s technology aligns with our strategy to further engage patients in their own health,” said Dr. Julie Hollberg, chief medical information officer, Emory Healthcare. “Patients can monitor their vitals on a daily basis and share that data with their care teams, enabling providers to keep a closer eye on their patients.”

Agnesian, a not-for-profit integrated health care system in Wisconsin, will also participate. Each patient will have their own set of devices, including a blood pressure monitor, glucose meter and scale.

“Agnesian HealthCare is committed to the wellness of the population we serve,” said Nancy Birschbach, VP and CIO, Agnesian. “By integrating HealthKit information into our EHR, we’re engaging patients in their own health to build a healthier community.”

The Cerner HealtheLife Apple Watch app is available from the Apple Watch App Store beginning April 24. Customers can get the HealtheLife app for iPhone now as a free download from the App Store.

HealtheLife will be featured at the Cerner booth (913) at HIMSS15, April 12-16 in Chicago.