Stanford Health Care and Apple have partnered on a new iPhone app for local police officers, firefighters and paramedics in the California Bay Area with guidance on screening for symptoms of first responders and, if needed, schedule testing.
First reported by Mashable, the First Responder COVID-19 Guide was built with the support of Apple and is meant for those who live near Santa Clara or San Mateo counties in California. The app, which uses Apple’s ResearchKit and CareKit frameworks, “includes trustworthy, up-to-date information about COVID-19 from Stanford experts,” according to a statement.
The goal is to ensure that first responders can efficiently access needed medical care while working under the safest possible conditions during the coronavirus outbreak. In the future, Stanford hopes to expand high-priority testing to front-line essential service workers, such as grocery store clerks and public service personnel, and to help first responders in other counties connect to one of Stanford Medicine’s seven outpatient testing facilities across the Bay Area.
“It’s our hope that this technology will ease some of the burden for people on the front lines, and will help inform those who seek a reliable source on COVID-19,” said Priya Singh, chief strategy officer and senior associate dean at Stanford Medicine.
Using the screening portion of the app, first responders can complete a questionnaire about their symptoms, exposure to the coronavirus and medical history. If, based on the answers, the app recommends testing, the first responder can then talk with their agency’s department infection control officer and schedule a testing appointment with Stanford Health Care.
The new First Responder COVID-19 Guide app for iPhone is available on the App Store.
