What One Hospital Learned From The Apple Store
By Christine Kern, contributing writer
New hospital storefront offers a place for patients to try out new health technologies.
Morristown Medical Center has opened a new storefront – modeled after the Apple Genius Bar – where patients can explore health apps and emerging digital health technologies to help them manage their personal healthcare. The store is called HealtheConnect at Morristown Medical Center.
The relevance of this new concept is enforced by a recent report from Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project which found one in five smartphone owners has a health-related app. In addition, while industry reports predict 500 million people will be using health-related apps by next year, meaning the time is right for ventures hoping to tap into the technology now available to help manage health.
According to the HealtheConnect website, patients and visitors can find assistance and guidance with health management mobile apps, fitness tracking apps and wearable devices, wireless blood pressure monitors, wireless body mass index (BMI) scales, accessing personal medical records, and enrollment in Atlantic Health System eServices.
The storefront is also fitted with charging stations available free for use by patients and visitors and digital accessories such as ear buds and charger cords for sale. HealtheConnect will also be hosting monthly educational seminars open to the community and physicians regarding health and wellness technology, according to Med City News.
“HealtheConnect reaffirms Atlantic Health System’s mission to empower our communities to be the healthiest in the nation using all of the tools available to us, including mobile devices that our patients can use every day. As the health care field continues to adopt technologies to promote health and well-being, we’re happy to provide this resource to help community members further integrate new applications and technologies to improve their own health management.” said David Shulkin, MD, president of Morristown Medical Center, in a statement.
The launch of HealtheConnect is just the latest in a string of technological initiatives at Morristown Medical, which has been named a “Most Wired” hospital for the past five years. Other initiatives include the Be Well initiative launched earlier this year, its first version of four smart phone and tablet apps that allow for quick access to any relevant hospital information and resources, including emergency room wait times. It also deployed PatientSecure, a biometric patient identification solution that ensures the correct health record is used for every patient, every time.