Apple makes yet another medical field hire for unknown project

Posted:
in General Discussion edited February 2014
Continuing the expansion of an ever growing medical devices research team, Apple recently took on Michael O'Reilly, former chief medical officer and executive vice president of medical affairs at pulse oximeter firm Masimo Corporation.

O'Reilly
Michael O'Reilly, MD. | Source: University of California, Irvine


While O'Reilly's LinkedIn page does not yet reflect the move to Apple, health blog MobiHealthNews reports the former Masimo executive is now with the Cupertino, Calif., company.

In a follow-up report, MacRumors was able to confirm with Masimo that O'Reilly is indeed no longer with the company, saying it "could not dispute" the recent reports of his new position at Apple.

While it is unclear what O'Reilly will be doing at Apple, Masimo's recent product releases give a bit of insight into the new hire. For example, the firm launched an iPhone-compatible pulse oximeter in 2012. Pulse oximetry offers users a non-invasive and accurate means of pulse measurement by monitoring oxygen saturation in the blood stream.

Rumors hold that Apple is building a so-called "iWatch" that will incorporate advanced health monitoring features. As other products like Withings' Pulse fitness tracker include pulse reading technology, it is not out of the realm of possibility that an Apple solution would feature a similar solution.

An MD, O'Reilly lists himself as being in the "monitoring and information technology" trade. He currently teaches as an adjunct associate professor of anesthesiology at the University of Michigan, as well as a professor of anesthesiology and perioperative care at the University of California, Irvine.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 18
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    Note this guy supposedly was hired by Apple last July.
  • Reply 2 of 18
    I really do think Apple will announce something sooner rather than later
  • Reply 3 of 18
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,226member

    This guy's relationship with Apple is probably why Goople released information about its eyeball sensor several days ago.

  • Reply 4 of 18
    jungmarkjungmark Posts: 6,927member
    Make him CEO, CFO, chairman of the board, and SVP of "Cool Stuff"!!!!
  • Reply 5 of 18
    I just remembered the chairman of Apple's board was selected to be CEO of Google's Calico venture. Is there a medical-based working relationship between Apple and Google?

    Tim Cook was quoted, "For too many of our friends and family, life has been cut short or the quality of their life is too often lacking," Cook said. "Art is one of the crazy ones who thinks it doesn?t have to be this way. There is no one better suited to lead this mission and I am excited to see the results."

    Here is the link to last year's announcement...

    http://iphone.appleinsider.com/articles/13/09/19/apple_chairman_art_levinson_signs_on_as_ceo_of_new_google_health_venture
  • Reply 6 of 18
    According to Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs, SJ was actively coming up with ideas of improving the design of medical devices and equipment such as his oxygen monitor while he was confined in 2009 following his liver transplant. Perhaps this was his decree to Tim Cook and other Apple executives after he got out.
  • Reply 7 of 18
    Originally Posted by rtamesis View Post

    According to Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs, SJ was actively coming up with ideas of improving the design of medical devices and equipment such as his oxygen monitor while he was confined in 2009 following his liver transplant. Perhaps this was his decree to Tim Cook and other Apple executives after he got out.

     

    I don’t think Apple ever will, but I’m interested in Reed Jobs’ plan in this regard. 

  • Reply 8 of 18
    jakebjakeb Posts: 563member
    I'm getting pretty excited about the iwatch. Basic iPhone alert/info display, possible siri interface, fitbit on steroids (motion tracking, heart rate, oxygen rate, glucose meter), built in solar trickle charging for ridiculous battery life, self orienting display, who knows, authentication, maybe even dick tracy style facetime calls.
  • Reply 9 of 18
    rtamesis wrote: »
    According to Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs, SJ was actively coming up with ideas of improving the design of medical devices and equipment such as his oxygen monitor while he was confined in 2009 following his liver transplant. Perhaps this was his decree to Tim Cook and other Apple executives after he got out.

    I hope Steve got a chance to look at the EMR (electronic medical record) systems. I work in the medical field and I have yet to use a system that wasn't terrible. They ALL seem as though they have been designed by IT people with no conception of human intuition. Apple would be very successful, and do a lot of good, if they made an intuitive, well thought out EMR. And they could offer it at a relatively low cost if subsidized by selling Apple hardware. A much better deal then what happens now. The 250 bed hospital I recently worked at just paid $75k for a freakn update to the crappy software. And of course it runs on specked out dells that are still slow as sh*t and need to be replaced every few years.
  • Reply 10 of 18
    I hope it comes out soon. I could really use it.
    I think the demand is going to be huge.
    And since it will only be compatible with iOS devices we will see many people switch just for that.
  • Reply 11 of 18
    asciiascii Posts: 5,936member
    What if it is bigger than the iWatch - maybe they intend to branch out in to biotech/bioinformatics. It is a computer heavy field.
  • Reply 12 of 18
    irelandireland Posts: 17,799member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by rtamesis View Post



    According to Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs, SJ was actively coming up with ideas of improving the design of medical devices and equipment such as his oxygen monitor while he was confined in 2009 following his liver transplant. Perhaps this was his decree to Tim Cook and other Apple executives after he got out.

     

    He gave them no decree. And Steve was a genius, but sometimes that behaviour of his ended up wearing him out in the end.

  • Reply 13 of 18
    irelandireland Posts: 17,799member

    This probably won't happen, but I still say iWatch's main function should be a wireless-to-your-ears music player via a wireless set of EarPods.

     

    I.E. What would really set iWatch apart from the competition is if it were an iPod nano-killer. So people could take iWatch training and it would not only track their steps, path, oxygen, speed, motion, etc., but it'd also play their music allowing them to leave their iPhones behind.

  • Reply 14 of 18
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by ascii View Post



    What if it is bigger than the iWatch - maybe they intend to branch out in to biotech/bioinformatics. It is a computer heavy field.

    I have feeling the iWatch is going to be a beautiful thing! I had not seen an iPod nano-watch until last night and was absolutely surprised at how good looking the "watch" is. The guy wearing it was having fun with the people who commented on the nano-watch because he has had the watch for two years now.  He got a watch band soon after Steve Jobs' presentation and comment about the nano being a great watch.

  • Reply 15 of 18
    I work in healthcare and I'll tell you that Masimo is the "Apple" of the pulse oximeter world.

    Very creative company.

    Hopefully this guy brings something to the table.
  • Reply 16 of 18
    Maybe the iWatch is not a watch, but a collection of interconnected sensors and monitors using a standardized protocol
  • Reply 17 of 18
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by winstein2010 View Post



    Maybe the iWatch is not a watch, but a collection of interconnected sensors and monitors using a standardized protocol

     

    I find it hard to believe that this mythical iDevice will be an iWatch. I know that Apple has developed devices that have been successful where others have failed, I know that Apple has also got us to buy a phone that was ungainly large at the time... but the idea that we're all going to go back to wearing a watch. Hmmmm...

     

    Not impossible, for sure... but improbable, imho.

     

    I'm quite anxious to see what Apple brings to the table. 

  • Reply 18 of 18
    I just had a revelation, I think we are all on the wrong track on what this will be. I don't think it has anything to do with the casual consumer. What if they made a diagnostic device that sends vitals to an iPad or iphone of the attending doctor and sends notifications to everyone hooked into the app when something goes critical and can not only track vitals but through the epidermis, sweat and body excrements like oils on the skin test for disease or toxicity. Instead of taking blood for sampling they slap on this wristband/watch and it sends all that chemical info to the lab for further analysis. This would speed up the diagnostic process and also make patient care "live" where your doctor gets your stats and knows your condition just by looking at his iPad.

    This makes complete sense in context of Steve Jobs sickness in his last years...
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