APPLE’S NEXT MARKET TO TACKLE: HEALTH CARE
Apple can take on health care here’s how.
Apple has a wide range of user-friendly products, from iPhones, iPad, laptops, desktop, Apple Watch, and OS software. You can shop online or in one of their stores. It’s clear Apple has a grasp on the digital market. However, the Apple Watch holds the key to the next market-healthcare.
Recently, Apple Watch has been rated the best smartwatch on the market. What was once an overlooked device that entered the market only a few years ago, has come out on top. Apple has taken pride in helping people live their healthiest lives and even saving them. They’ve become very health conscience for their users.
My friend’s dad was featured at Apple’s last keynote. To make a long story short, he was on an early morning run and collapsed. The next thing he knew he woke up in the ER. The watch detected the fall, called 911 for him, and provided his medical information. The EMT was even nice enough to bring his dog back to his house around the corner from where he collapsed. He ended up being ok- Thank god, but if he didn’t have the apple watch or someone found him with no knowledge of his identity, what his medical history was, the worst could have happened. The watch was able to get him the help he needed.
With so many advantages of the Apple Watch being in tune with your health such as, exercise, heart monitoring, EKG, and benefits like the story above-it’s a device that can unlock the door to the healthcare space.
The healthcare space is a mess. No one has gotten it right. With insurances, premiums, pre-existing conditions, and a slue of other things- now might be a good time for Apple to tackle this space. This is a vision of how it can be done.
Introducing (conceptually) Apple Campus (not the headquarters). Apple campus is a public space that anyone can go to. This space would consist of an Apple store for all your purchasing and Genius Bar needs, a developer learning area, public computer/internet use, meeting/conference rooms, gym, remote offices, and a doctor’s office for a GP. To do this Apple campus would repurpose closed down or dying malls. Let me break it down for you.
Healthcare
Apple Campus would be home to a doctor’s office. Doctors would be employed by Apple. Each Apple health center would have an “x” amount of doctors, nurses, and physician assistants. Anyone can go to them. The Apple health app can expand into something more useful that syncs data with your doctor. Now, I’m not saying this can’t be done with your normal GP, but imagine everything being in Apple’s Eco-system and the convenience of it all. The app can alert you to go to the campus, have your GP profile, set or cancel an appointment, access your medical history on you’re device, and have your health monitored via the Apple watch.
How would you pay for a visit? Would you need to go through insurance? No. There would be a monthly subscription you pay to go to the doctor for an unlimited amount of time. Plans would be generated by individuals and families. A subscription would be charged monthly (ex. family plan would pay 59.99/month for unlimited visits-this is an example price, not a realistic projection). If you have an Apple device the subscription would go through your Apple account. This business model would greatly help support the lower-income families and areas that can’t afford insurance and promote a community space. The campus could also house a pharmacy for any medicine you might need at an affordable price-if Apple decides to get into that space as well (Long term vision). It can also be a location for healthy cooking classes lectured by a nutritionist.
Opportunities & Revenue
Apple would have the opportunity to own several pieces of real estate taking Mcdonald’s model. In doing so their campuses can all be different in their way while still bringing in a profit. They can set up micro labs/offices startups can rent. This would kind of be taking we work model. However, the vision for a campus is open and inviting. Apple would also have the opportunity to serve low-income families for free computer usage, learning development among, Indoor parks for kids, and space for daycare.
A campus would have the ability to add to Apple’s ecosystem. How? The campus itself is the ecosystem. As an example: If there is a daycare center for your child, Apple could have an app you can log into, aka the Campus App. You can then select the daycare, the care provider, the times, days, month, payment, etc. all done on your iOS device. Another Example: If a gym was on every campus a person could use their gym (at a monthly fee). Apple can add more apps to a health space syncing with any gym equipment and the equipment is also synced with your Apple Watch. When it comes time to go to the doctor on the Campus they can immediately download those exercise results to review at your appointment. There can be studios like all other gyms for spin classes, dancing, biking, etc. A lap pool for exercise. The Apple Campus would transform into a community mecca that would have a multi-purpose use. At some point, if Apple does build a vehicle, the campus can be the dealership for them to sell and store their vehicles.
Not much construction would need to take place as most of the malls are already built and support everything Campus would need to serve their community. Some renovation could happen. The Vision of an Apple campus would have lots of light, a modern look (think a massive apple store), arboretum with trees, birds, and running water. Your watch/iPhone can act as a key/card to get into the gym, purchase things inside the center. No physical money would be needed to use or purchase anything inside.
Serving the Community
As stated above this would be a space for The public. You’ll have a reason to go to the campus. To take a walk in the indoor arboretum. Attend a class, go to the gym, use the Internet, rent a conference room, and most importantly go to the doctor. Apple could start building this huge ecosystem spread across the country. It would add more jobs, boost community, and serve a minor fix to our health care system. If its bold enough to work, maybe it can transformer and force the healthcare space to be more affordable or move in a positive direction.
Now I’m not saying this would replace hospitals or other health care needs, but it can somewhat disrupt the industry (Assuming). If there was a place someone could go to get medical needs that is at an affordable price with no insurance needed, but also providing other benefits for the community Its a move in the right direction and a win-win.
There is no doubt in my mind I am leaving out a lot of logistics (financially, physically, etc.) and I am making a lot of assumptions, but this is a concept. I’m not a great writer. I just wanted to get my ideas out. I am not affiliated with Apple. This article is an idea of my own opinion and making.
