The Apple Watch Medical Device
Though the Apple Watch started off as a novelty for smartphone users it has now found a higher purpose. The watch is slowly transforming from a tool for entertainment and convenience to one with medical capabilities as well.
The upcoming release of Series 4 of the Apple Watch will give it the ability to detect when the person wearing it has fallen down. It will then have the ability to contact 911 to get help for the user if it is determined that they have fallen and are in need of medical attention. In the event that the smartwatch places a 911 call and the call isn’t answered within 60 seconds, the watch will automatically call a user’s emergency contacts. When a user that is of the age of 65 or beyond purchases an Apple Watch this feature is activated automatically. Any user under the age of 65 can also change their watch’s settings to activate this feature.
This is not the first model of the Apple Watch to offer health benefits to users. The very first smartwatch by Apple was already capable of tracking a user’s health and fitness levels. It also had the ability to input a user’s heart rate into certain health apps that came standard with the phone.
The Series 4 watch will also be able to not only take an EKG, but an electrocardiogram as well. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has verified that the watch will be able to do this as accurately as a medical professional would. It is also capable of letting a user know if their heartbeat has become irregular.
For heart patients, this could be an important development in technology. The new watch is set to include a built in sensor that can be used to note if a user’s heart is exhibiting atrial fibrillation signs. This has the potential to go a long way in preventing heart attacks and strokes in certain patients.
These advances in the Apple Watch are expected to impact the way in which doctors administer treatment to their patients. It may also change the way in which patients and doctors communicate, as the watch is expected to be able to send PDF reports of a user’s heart. This may even lead to an Apple Watch becoming as practical of a purchase as it is a fun one.
One of the biggest changes resulting from this release of this line of smartwatches is that there is a chance that in the near future select plans from health insurance companies will help cover the cost of an Apple Watch purchase.
The one drawback to the new Apple Watch in terms of health needs is that it does not include the ability to monitor the quality of a user’s sleep. The main reason for this is that after having worn it all day long, users will only generally charge the watch overnight, preventing it from also being able to monitor one’s sleep.
Only time will tell how much of a medical device the Apple Watch becomes. As of now, it has health monitoring features that can benefit users of all ages. Learn more Medical Device News.