BIG TECH IN HEALTHCARE: Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft in on niche sectors of healthcare

Healthcare players are being forced to move on their digital transformation efforts, and Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft are lending their tech-savviness to become partners for the job.

The Big Four tech companies — Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft — are accelerating their pursuit of the healthcare market, and they’re starting to hone their strategies in on specific corners of the ecosystem.

Amazon Healthcare

Amazon is setting up initiatives to transform pharmacy, the medical supply chain, health insurance, and care delivery.

Some of the top healthcare solutions and platforms offer by Amazon include:

  • Amazon Web Services (AWS)
  • PillPack
  • Amazon Care
  • Alexa
  • Medical Supply Chain
  • Haven

Apple Healthcare

Apple is eager to build out its health division and live out CEO Tim Cook’s goal of having health be Apple’s ‘greatest contribution to mankind.’ Apple is striving to turn its consumer products into portable patient health hubs and valuable clinical research tools.

Apple is using its popular consumer-facing products, like the Apple Watch and iPhone, to forge partnerships with payers, health systems, and clinical researchers. Apple has been boosting the number of health-related features accessible on its Watch to establish the wearable as a clinical tool to be used in medical research.

Some of the top healthcare solutions and platforms offer by Apple include:

  • Apple Watch
  • Health Records
  • Genetic Testing

Google (Alphabet) Healthcare

Alphabet is using its dominance in data storage and analytics to patch up interoperability challenges and streamline clinical research. The company is leaning on its cloud platform artificial intelligence (AI) to land strategic hospital partnerships by solving issues with electronic health record (EHR) interoperability and limited computing infrastructure.

Some of the top healthcare solutions and platforms offer by Google include:

  • Google Fit
  • DeepMind
  • Verily
  • Calico
  • FitBit

Microsoft Healthcare

Microsoft’s health play hinges on its cloud platform, Azure, and the data analytics prowess it can provide healthcare firms. These efforts stem mainly from its Healthcare NExT program, which aids in providing the company with a focused brand as it explores how its tech can be used within the healthcare setting.

Some of the top healthcare solutions and platforms offer by Microsoft include:

  • Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare
  • Healthcare NExT
  • Microsoft Genomics
  • Medical Scribe
  • Microsoft Health Bot

Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, and Microsoft have been dipping their toes into the healthcare industry, and some of their endeavors have the potential to change healthcare at large.

Source: www.businessinsider.com