Apple has been inching closer and closer toward the medical field as of late, what with its Food and Drug Administration-approved medical device accessory (the KardiaBand) and its own rumored efforts to turn the Apple Watch into a tried-and-true electrocardiogram device. Now, the company has taken its largest and most concrete step in a medical direction. According to CNBC, Apple is launching AC Wellness, a group of health clinics aimed at Apple employees and their families.
Already, Apple launched a website that gives a bit more information about the new clinic. For the time being, AC Wellness is described as “an independent medical practice dedicated to delivering compassionate, effective healthcare to the Apple employee population.” The website notes further, “AC Wellness Network believes that having trusting, accessible relationships with our patients, enabled by technology, promotes high-quality care and a unique patient experience.”
It would appear that the wheels are already in motion to kick off the clinics sooner rather than later. There is a careers page that features job postings for primary care doctors, exercise coaches, care navigators, and a phlebotomist who will administer on-site lab tests. While these clinical staff will not be Apple employees themselves, they will be dedicated to those working for Apple, and as CNBC reports, “will initially only serve Apple’s employees in Santa Clara County, where its headquarters are located.”
As CNBC notes, a search on LinkedIn reveals that ex-Stanford Health Care employees have maintained ties to AC Wellness for at least five months, and while there’s no mention of Apple on these individuals’ profiles, a number of job listings on the AC Wellness site now describe the firm as a “subsidiary of Apple, Inc.”
Of course, given Apple’s reputation as being one of the most innovative companies in the world, its healthcare clinic won’t just provide standard healthcare. Rather, the company is also looking for “designers” who will be able to prevent disease and promote healthy behavior. Ultimately, Apple’s goal is to leverage what it learns from AC Wellness for its employees to help its customers.
If you are waiting for disruption in the healthcare industry, it may just be coming from Apple.
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