As part of its push into mobile health, Apple was reportedly in “deep talks” to buy Crossover Health, a health clinic company, which has offered employee healthcare to tech companies including Apple, Facebook, Microsoft, and others.
The acquisition would have put Apple in charge of a string of health clinics, which it could potentially have run like healthcare versions of the Apple store. However, despite stretching on for months, no deal ultimately materialized.
Crossover operates clinics in New York and San Francisco, with a focus on tech features like being able to book a same-day appointment using a mobile app.
The same report also claims that Apple approached nationwide primary care group One Medical. Multiple sources apparently confirmed both stories.
There’s no more word on what exactly Apple’s plans were, or why the talks collapsed. However, it suggests that Apple’s interests in healthcare are a lot more than just a few mobile apps for the iPhone and Apple Watch. A source told CNBC that the discussions about moving into primary care, “have been happening inside Apple’s health team for more than a year.”
At present, Apple is working with the FDA to find a way to make its devices more legitimate as medical, rather than just wellness, tools. Apple has also forged a number of links with leading research hospitals as part of its HealthKit and ResearchKit platforms.
Source: CNBC
