How to set up your emergency Medical ID with iOS 8's new Health app
One of the lesser known -- but potentially most important -- features of Apple's newly released iOS 8 mobile operating system is a digital "Medical ID," which can provide important personal health related information in the event of an emergency.
The Medical ID feature is built in to the new Health application found in iOS 8 for iPhone. Users can configure it by launching Health, tapping the Medical ID menu in the bottom right, and then choosing "Create Medical ID."
iPhone users with a passcode-locked handset can consider enabling the "Show When Locked" function, providing first responders or anyone else with emergency access to their Medical ID. Enabling this feature allows the Medical ID to be viewed by swiping the lock screen, tapping "Emergency," and then viewing the digital information.
A user's Medical ID can be configured with a custom picture and name, date of birth, list of medical conditions, notes, allergies, reactions and medications. It also allows users to display an emergency contact with name, telephone number, and relationship.
The Medical ID also allows users to enter their blood type, height and weight, and whether they are an organ donor. And if someone changes their mind about having such information available from their lock screen, all of the Medical ID information can be deleted via one button at the bottom of the editing page.
After the Medical ID has been created, users can always go back and make changes at any time through the Health app.
Medical ID is just one function of the new Health application in iOS 8, which aims to become a centralized repository for all of a user's health information, whether input manually or automatically collected through iPhone accessories.
The more advanced Health functions with connected applications and accessories have not yet gone live, as Apple apparently encountered last-minute bugs with its new HealthKit application programming interface tools for developers. Apple abruptly began pulling HealthKit-enabled applications from the App Store last week, alongside the launch of iOS 8, indicating that a formal launch for Health-compatible apps would come at a later date.
For more features and functions in iOS 8, see AppleInsider's ongoing iOS Tips series.
The Medical ID feature is built in to the new Health application found in iOS 8 for iPhone. Users can configure it by launching Health, tapping the Medical ID menu in the bottom right, and then choosing "Create Medical ID."
iPhone users with a passcode-locked handset can consider enabling the "Show When Locked" function, providing first responders or anyone else with emergency access to their Medical ID. Enabling this feature allows the Medical ID to be viewed by swiping the lock screen, tapping "Emergency," and then viewing the digital information.
A user's Medical ID can be configured with a custom picture and name, date of birth, list of medical conditions, notes, allergies, reactions and medications. It also allows users to display an emergency contact with name, telephone number, and relationship.
The Medical ID also allows users to enter their blood type, height and weight, and whether they are an organ donor. And if someone changes their mind about having such information available from their lock screen, all of the Medical ID information can be deleted via one button at the bottom of the editing page.
After the Medical ID has been created, users can always go back and make changes at any time through the Health app.
Medical ID is just one function of the new Health application in iOS 8, which aims to become a centralized repository for all of a user's health information, whether input manually or automatically collected through iPhone accessories.
The more advanced Health functions with connected applications and accessories have not yet gone live, as Apple apparently encountered last-minute bugs with its new HealthKit application programming interface tools for developers. Apple abruptly began pulling HealthKit-enabled applications from the App Store last week, alongside the launch of iOS 8, indicating that a formal launch for Health-compatible apps would come at a later date.
For more features and functions in iOS 8, see AppleInsider's ongoing iOS Tips series.
Comments
I haven't used this yet, but thanks for the information. Some questions:
1) How is this data accessible in an emergency? Can a TouchID (finger print) be used in an emergency (if I am unconscious can a first responder use my finger to bring this up quickly)? The "show when locked" feature is nice, but I really don't want some who borrows or steals my phone to have access to the is data.
2) Is this data considered to be a part of Apple's health care repository and those has extra security built in?
Since data is available to anyone who has possession of the phone, if you have touch ID hopefully they will touch it against your thumb and look up the data if you don't want it public. How about a message to scan the users thumb from the lock page for emergency access?
Wouldn't you need a blood sample to test for that?
Thanks for the tip. I hadn't noticed that Apple had added the Health app to my apps (and it's not obvious to me why it appeared where it did, on the third screen of my apps listing and between other existing apps).
I haven't used this yet, but thanks for the information. Some questions:
1) How is this data accessible in an emergency? Can a TouchID (finger print) be used in an emergency (if I am unconscious can a first responder use my finger to bring this up quickly)? The "show when locked" feature is nice, but I really don't want some who borrows or steals my phone to have access to the is data.
2) Is this data considered to be a part of Apple's health care repository and those has extra security built in?
Anyone with access to your phone can turn it on, swipe left, tap on "Emergency", and tap on "Medical ID" to see this information. Of course by default this is disabled. If you want random people to be able to access this information then provide it. I chose to expose a drug allergy, my wife's name and phone, my blood type, and that I'm an organ donor and nothing else. I don't know why I would want to include my height, weight and DOB, so I didn't include those, for example.
I seriously doubt first responders will be trained/encouraged to unlock someone's phone using their finger. Obviously if they did they could access all the health information (and buy some tunes to help pass the time).
Yes, but the same sort of thing goes for other measures in the Health app as well: Blood Pressure (that armband thingy), Blood Glucose (blood prick test), Blood Alcohol Content (a breathalyser or blood test).
Sorry - Not their finger, but my finger. If I'm unconscious a first responder could simply touch my finger to the phone and have access. Apple could provide some specific action to only bring up emergency info upon that TouchID action (but that is not available now).
Overall though, this is a great thing to have available. I hope lots of people use this.
That makes no sense. Many of those who could benefit from the Health apps see no reason to own an iPhone with their iPad does all they need. And hospital staff often use iPads rather than iPhones.
Anyone know why one of the most common measures of health has not been put into the iOS 8 health app, i.e. Blood Cholesterol? The Health app has Dietary Cholesterol (that is, the amount of cholesterol in the food & drink that you consume) but not Blood Cholesterol.
Probably because cholesterol alone isn't a judge of your overall health, it's just one factor in determining a person's susceptibility to heart attack (per my doctor at my last several physicals).
If not, neither are many of the other parameters in the Health app. I doubt BMI is as many use the skin-fold test instead nowadays. Sleep patterns? Number of falls? Useful, but more important than Blood Cholesterol?
My doctor always measures blood cholesterol at every periodic medical check-up, so it's definitely an important measure. So, still wondering...
If you look for the Health app on your iPad, you won't find it. For reasons that defy good sense, the app won't install on iPads, new or old.
That makes no sense. Many of those who could benefit from the Health apps see no reason to own an iPhone with their iPad does all they need. And hospital staff often use iPads rather than iPhones.
I quite agree. Apple are morons for not including this on the iPad. They could sync it with iCloud. No doubt, most people will use the iPhone for the input, but it's useful to see the graphs on the bigger screen of the iPad.
With a bit of luck, it will come eventually.