From major retailers, including Walmart and Best Buy, to major tech companies, such as Google and Apple, several nontraditional companies are quickly diving into the healthcare space.
Here is what three major tech companies have been up to in healthcare:
Apple
A surgeon in the U.S. and a surgeon in the U.K. recently became two of the first specialists in the world to use Apple's Vision Pro in a spinal operation. Several major health systems, including Los Angeles-based Cedars-Sinai, Boston Children's Hospital and San Diego-based Sharp HealthCare, have also partnered with Apple's Vision Pro system for simulations, behavioral healthcare and more. Apple continues to hire workers to enhance its healthcare tech department, seeking health sensing engineers, health researchers and health AI engineers.
In September, Google partnered with Meditch, an EHR vendor, to provide artificial intelligence tools. Google Cloud provides healthcare providers with AI tools and ways to fast track the prior authorization process. Major systems including Nashville, Tenn.-based HCA Healthcare and Edison, N.J.-based Hackensack Meridian Health are partnered with Google for its AI tools.
Microsoft
Microsoft's HoloLens 2 glasses have been used for surgical navigation for several years. The goggles let a surgeon see an MRI as a hologram in their peripheral vision. The device also has a camera and microphone built in to help train surgeons remotely during cases. Zimmer Biomet and Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Clinic both have partnerships with Microsoft around HoloLens.