'Apple Watch Series 6' may introduce blood oxygen detection, better ECG

#1

May be Anker should get into medical grade devices one day :thinking:

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#2

I think there’s a lot of “hoops” to jump through with this sort of thing.
Samsung still hasn’t got sign off from FDA for the ECG capabilities they built into the Active 2 watch.

I’m all for this sort of thing. I don’t think you should trust your life with it, but is allows you to gauge if your averages are stable and seek professional medical advice if things start to change.

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#3

Samsungs Active should get it through a software update this year, but at least people knew about it when they bought the watch.

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#4

All smart watches should have this :+1:

And a battery upgrade as well :smile:

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#5

Can you forsee that someone gets a discount on medical insurance if they agree to wear such devices?

High blood pressure and other vaso diseases are a chronic therefore expensive disease.

#6

Quite possible… it’s like Car insurance … they give you discount by using a gadget or app to monitor your driving habits.

#7

I was thinking about how this watch can detect high blood pressure.
or better check the blood pressure!
Even those usual blood pressure units used on the wrist are very inaccurate.
The best and useful are those with a “manchette” attached on the upper arm.
All others are not for serious medical use.

#8

I honestly don’t see it happening. They may even charge you more based on your “history”

#9

What about one step further?

If you’re having a heart attack it phones someone and texts your GPS location???

Then could save lives?

I can see the obvious risks like people with dicky hearts think they be more irresponsible, but if you’re going to bother with the technologly, take it to its ultimate logic?

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#10

But you have to declare pre existing conditions so this can help check your medicine is working, being taken?

#11

Dr. Apple will cure those from all diseases they got, wearing such watch. :joy:
No more physicians needed.
All diagnosis are perfectly made by the watch.
At last the watch tells you, you are dead and you have to believe it! :rofl:

#12

I’m sorry professor I didn’t quite understand your question

#13

Better by example.

Suppose you had pre-existing high blood pressure, treated by medicines, which you have to take and tuned.

Suppose your watch could track blook pressure, and show it is most of the time in the desired range, so lowering your future risks.

Suppose then a medical insurer felt a gadget was accurate enough to report on blood pressure.

Then that medical insurer would offer a discount if you wore the gadget and it reported you were keeping in the desired range. That is better than periodic medical tests as they are anecdotal in nature.

So, a bit like I think robotic cars will go through denial, then desirable, eventually to mandatory as they get better than manual driven, smart watches get to the point they are better than ad-hoc manual health tests, you get a discount for wearing them, eventually becomes mandatory as a requirement to get insurance.

I am just extrapolating logically, accepting people dont always follow logic.

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#14

Recently, I read somewhere where MediCare and Apple were doing a test group for seniors using the Apple Watch. Unfortunately, they only offered the seniors an option to purchase the Series 5 for $200. Great deal but still. As it is, my insurance actually offers Amazon Gift Cards at the end of the year for “meeting” my step goals that they set out for me on a daily basis. So if they set a goal of 6,000 steps and I meet it, I get $1. But it caps out at $100 by the end of the year. I can definitely see how fitness trackers/watches can be beneficial to both the insured and insurance company. It would be great if insurance premiums are reduced if the patient has a tracking device like the Apple Watch. I’d be all in for that. :wink:

#15

I’m fairly certain it was closer to $50…

I actually know someone (an older gentleman) who has his life saved by the Apple Watch series 5. He got it, and took an ECG. He found out he was having serious issues with his heart, and was able to make it to the ER in time.

Doctors said if he hadn’t come immediately the consequences would have been far worse. He just has to take some medicine now, and he’s pretty much 100%.

I’m not a doctor so I don’t know all the details. But having this type of Health technology is definitely a good thing to have

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#16

That’s correct @J_Hansen
Hopefully they will get it sorted soon.

#17

Yea I would totally sign up for that. I’ve seen people been given medication and they either don’t take it or try alternative methods. So if I device is tracking if I’m taking the medicine and offer me a lower bill and maybe stop the need to go to the doctor as often, then I’d definitely get it (I’m healthy btw).

I wouldn’t like the mandatory part that much, maybe you can take it off periodically or as you see fit.

#18

You don’t really want to though

Apple watches are not “medical grade”. If they were they would cost literally 3-10x more than MSRP.

The cost of getting FDA approval for anything is so catastrophically. And god help me if I have to deal with another medical software vendor who doesn’t support virtual machines and is trying to pawn off god damn dell power stations for $10k that they don’t even patch windows foe

#19

I heard this before, and that is the reason I wanted to buy one for my Dad.

This is possible now, may be? using some shortcuts on Apple Watch ?
I don’t have one so, don’t know.