Apple is now branching out more than ever. The company is launching its own primary health care clinics, calling it AC Wellness. This follows both Amazon and Warren Buffett’s push into healthcare and change. According to an article from The Guardian, AC Wellness has a goal to serve Apple’s employees and their families providing “compassionate, effective healthcare to the Apple employee population”. The AC Wellness Network is planning to open two centers, both in Santa Clara County, which is near Apple Park and Infinite Loop headquarters.
The company is hoping to provide a healthcare experience that is completely enabled by technology. Since Apple already has its Apple Watch, the company already has a health-monitoring device and a software for fitness tracking. Apple is still searching for physicians, particularly primary and acute care, physical therapists, and nurses. One advertisement for a primary care physician states the need for experience of “preventing future disease” and “preventive care”, all while using new methods of technology. Apple is trying to do everything to make a difference in the world of health care. They are also want to hire designers that could help promote healthy behavior and prevent disease.
Apple’s staff consists of over 120,000 employees. Healthcare is one of the largest costs for staff, so creating AC Wellness would reduce its outlay by bringing services in-house. According to US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the cost for healthcare totally $3.3tn in 2016 just in the United States. Healthcare is of course critical for businesses to gain employees, but the cost is constantly increasing. I believe that Apple’s new healthcare tool will make a difference in the healthcare world. Using technology will cut down on costs for staff for healthcare and it will decrease the cost greatly. Also technology incorporated into healthcare services is vital in our constantly changing world today.
Apple has come such a long way since they started. While they originally dealt with computers, they have expanded into the smartphone business as well with the iphone and countless other industries. With this step toward Healthcare, I couldn’t help but think of the book The Circle. This book focuses on an employee at a tech company where the company monitors everything you do and everything works on a system. Basically everything on the campus of the company is monitored through your phone and computer. It is a dystopian concept but one that now does not seem so far off. Surely, Apple employees have Macbooks and iphones. Their campus has its own cafeteria where meals are served daily. There is no reason to ever leave it seems like. However, it almost all seems a little too comfortable for me. I understand providing your employees with healthcare but making your own specific brand seems like a lot. I think a separation between work and home is necessary and this is just a step in the direction toward closing this gap. Apple is working on their new campus and I have to imagine even more features will be there that will close this gap. I love the idea of available healthcare but I worry that it could be the start of a trend that blends work and home too much.
Source: The Circle by: Dave Eggers
http://www.businessinsider.com/25-amazing-dishes-at-apple-headquarters-2014-10