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Apple as the world's largest company has to go after huge markets if it is to maintain its growth and the only mega market that has the size to move the needle is medical which the US spends four trillion on and is beyond ripe for innovation. Apple is the only company that has the muscle to take on the US medical establishment that has given us low quality care at the world's highest cost. Apple is the only company I feel that has the resources to attack a system so dysfunctional it has given us very high cost low to moderate quality medical. Apple is the only company I see that could change this and even this would require acquisitions and partnerships to pull this off. Apple could build much of this ecosystem using the iPhone ecosystem as a foundation to build on It is a four trillion-dollar market in the US alone. Any thoughts or additions sought and appreciated. The medical market could provide opportunities for many companies in the tech sector that are not in the medical market.
Apple as the world's largest company has to go after huge markets if it is to maintain its growth and the only mega market that has the size to move the needle is medical which the US spends four trillion on and is beyond ripe for innovation. Apple is the only company that has the muscle to take on the US medical establishment that has given us low quality care at the world's highest cost. Apple is the only company I feel that has the resources to attack a system so dysfunctional it has given us very high cost low to moderate quality medical. Apple is the only company I see that could change this and even this would require acquisitions and partnerships to pull this off. Apple could build much of this ecosystem using the iPhone ecosystem as a foundation to build on It is a four trillion-dollar market in the US alone. Any thoughts or additions sought and appreciated. The medical market could provide opportunities for many companies in the tech sector that are not in the medical market.
I like your thesis. Apple chooses its targets carefully and generally leverages others who handle highly regulated business, for example Mobile operators or existing financial institutions. Apple will find ways to get their products to be used to improve health. Slowly the US "sick care" industry will find ways to use Apple devices and services more.
Apple as the world's largest company has to go after huge markets if it is to maintain its growth and the only mega market that has the size to move the needle is medical which the US spends four trillion on and is beyond ripe for innovation. Apple is the only company that has the muscle to take on the US medical establishment that has given us low quality care at the world's highest cost. Apple is the only company I feel that has the resources to attack a system so dysfunctional it has given us very high cost low to moderate quality medical. Apple is the only company I see that could change this and even this would require acquisitions and partnerships to pull this off. Apple could build much of this ecosystem using the iPhone ecosystem as a foundation to build on It is a four trillion-dollar market in the US alone. Any thoughts or additions sought and appreciated. The medical market could provide opportunities for many companies in the tech sector that are not in the medical market.
I don't see how Apple can have any significant impact at all on healthcare costs or efficiency. Apple will expand the number sensors in its devices, and may add some apps, and Vision Pro could have applications in diagnosis and research, but how does Apple impact the major issues in US healthcare cost and efficiency? The major players and problem industries are:
1. Drug companies and Pharmacy Benefit Managers (non-transparent pricing)
2. Hospital systems (especially non-profits which are hardly non-profit) and their non-transparent and differentiated pricing, which are also expanding to include physician practices (my physicians are members of hospital systems)
3. Insurance companies and their diverse claim processes and their non-standard coverages and claim approval processes
4. Private equity acquisitions in medical and dental practices
How would Apple impact any of these problem areas?
You forgot vertical integration from medical office up to insurance provider with regional oligopolies, which affects many of us. They extract $6,000 per year per policy yet deliver 3 month plus wait times for office visits on actual health issues. And you can be darn sure the point of care providers - doctor, clinic staff - are seeing just a sliver of that money. Less than one visit per year at current pace.
But, unlike Canada, there seems to be no reporting requirement so they can do what they please. They gross far more than Apple, indeed the health business is closing in on federal revenues (health 4.2T, gov 4.9, health ballooning faster). Apple could not make the suppliers richer, and Congress will not loosen the legislation which protects them.
Indeed, something more like the pugnatious Uber ready to charge into protected markets with lawyers blazing seems more likely to work in disrupting the health care bloat.
You forgot vertical integration from medical office up to insurance provider with regional oligopolies, which affects many of us. They extract $6,000 per year per policy yet deliver 3 month plus wait times for office visits on actual health issues. And you can be darn sure the point of care providers - doctor, clinic staff - are seeing just a sliver of that money. Less than one visit per year at current pace.
Interesting. I've lived in seven cities in five states and I've never run into waits anything like that. What I am running into is physicians absorbed into hospital 501c3s, charging hospital-like rates, and private equity buying out specialties like optometry and dentistry. Also PAs and RNPs replacing MD visits even in specialties.
But, unlike Canada, there seems to be no reporting requirement so they can do what they please. They gross far more than Apple, indeed the health business is closing in on federal revenues (health 4.2T, gov 4.9, health ballooning faster). Apple could not make the suppliers richer, and Congress will not loosen the legislation which protects them.
Indeed, something more like the pugnatious Uber ready to charge into protected markets with lawyers blazing seems more likely to work in disrupting the health care bloat.
Amazon is trying to insert itself in the healthcare chain with clinics and a pharmacy, but beyond the pharmacy little is visible. Amazon seems a lot better positioned than Apple to get into healthcare.
By being able to monitor several health factors on a daily or real time basis that could be monitored by a health scale(I have one that measures several factors besides weight) and the monitoring that is built and could be built into an Apple watch care could be more proactive and preventive, rather than reactive and expensive is what we have now. Real time monitoring could also show the real benefits and exersize and a non-sedentary lifestyle. By catching many problems early could sharply reduce the cost of health care. It could also provide a real incentive by sharply reduced costs and insurance rates for those that choose to take care of themselves. It is a minority that expect others to pay for their bad habits. A unified health system from the personal choices to far more efficient care will save this country from going bankrupt as medical costs consume twenty cents of every dollar in this country.
By being able to monitor several health factors on a daily or real time basis that could be monitored by a health scale(I have one that measures several factors besides weight) and the monitoring that is built and could be built into an Apple watch care could be more proactive and preventive, rather than reactive and expensive is what we have now. Real time monitoring could also show the real benefits and exersize and a non-sedentary lifestyle. By catching many problems early could sharply reduce the cost of health care. It could also provide a real incentive by sharply reduced costs and insurance rates for those that choose to take care of themselves.
There aren't very many serious problems you can catch with something strapped to your wrist. Mostly cardiovascular stuff. Even if we catch problems earlier we're not going to fix the many structural problems in the US healthcare system with a strap-on device. Most people who live an unhealthy lifestyle choose to. Apple can't change that. The Watch is too small for electric shock treatments.
I don't believe that. Millions don't even want to pay back student loans. Healthcare premiums based on lifestyle choices (beyond smoking) seem very unlikely.
A unified health system from the personal choices to far more efficient care will save this country from going bankrupt as medical costs consume twenty cents of every dollar in this country.
