Emory Healthcare announced that its Emory Hillandale Hospital in Georgia will be the first U.S. hospital to run extensively on Apple devices, including iPads, iPhones, Apple Watches, iMacs, and Mac minis. These devices will integrate with Epic’s electronic health record (EHR) software, a leading system used nationwide.
Why Apple Was Chosen
Emory executives cited Apple’s user-friendly design, reduced IT support needs, strong cybersecurity features, and durable hardware and battery life as key reasons for the choice. The hospital plans to closely monitor the impact on quality of care as the new technology is adopted.
Emory Healthcare CEO Dr. Joon Lee described the initiative as a potential game changer, though he acknowledged challenges ahead. With over 10 hospitals and 26,400 employees, Emory is a significant academic health system, and Hillandale is a 100-bed community hospital near Atlanta.
The decision to expand Apple’s role was influenced by a major CrowdStrike outage last July that paralyzed over 20,000 devices within Emory’s network — except Apple devices, which remained operational. This incident prompted Emory to invite Apple and Epic engineers to collaborate on deeper integration.
Epic and Apple Partnership
Epic, the hospital’s EHR provider, has a longstanding partnership with Apple, including apps dating back to 2010 and a recent full suite release for macOS. Epic’s executive VP Seth Howard called this integration a natural progression in their relationship with Apple.
Before rolling out hospital-wide, Emory conducted a pilot on one floor, receiving positive feedback from healthcare staff. CEO Lee said a successful launch at Hillandale could lead to expanding Apple device use across other Emory hospitals and potentially serve as a model nationwide.
Author’s Opinion
This move by Emory Healthcare highlights how resilient and user-friendly technology can transform patient care. Apple’s strong hardware and seamless software integration seem well-suited for the demanding healthcare environment. While challenges remain, investing in reliable tech infrastructure is vital for improving outcomes and efficiency in modern hospitals.
