We all know that devices such as the smartphone are seeing more and more features crammed within, which makes for them to get all the more indispensable. However, should we be concerned at how devices keep track of our details, including our heart rate, blood pressure, as well as blood glucose levels? Doctors have weighed in on the Apple HealthKit that is touted to roll out alongside iOS 8 in the upcoming iPhone 6, and here are some of their thoughts.
Dr. Dushan Gunasekera, who practices in London, is concerned about the level of accuracy of the information shown to the user. In other words, the information which has no guarantee of accuracy, would then be insufficient for any doctor in good conscience to perform a proper diagnosis on the patient. Apart from that, there are also concerns surrounding the public’s interpretation of the readings, saying, “There is certainly a risk that people will see a sharp dip in one of their graphs, and interpret that as a big problem, when in fact the reading could still fall within a normal range.”
Dr. Rakesh Kapila, who is another London-based doctor and was trained in the Mayo Clinic in the U.S., shares fears about HealthKit users being obsessed about their readings, which might lead those who happen to have an overactive imagination to think that a minor ailment is actually a terminal illness of sorts. What do you think of the HealthKit? I’d say get a professional opinion when it really matters, the HealthKit’s readings would function as a very, very general guideline.