Apple has hired Jason Oberfest, former CEO of Mango Health, to reportedly help its users adhere to prescription instructions and build on the ambition to gain a bigger share of the global healthcare market.
"Oberfest will look into opportunities for Apple in the medication adherence space, meaning helping people take their medicines on time," CNBC reported on Friday. Oberfest has updated his LinkedIn profile to reveal he joined Apple in September this year. The profile does not detail his role at the company, however.
When people don't take their medicines, that costs the US healthcare system between $100 and $289 billion (roughly Rs. 7.1 to Rs. 20.5 lakh crores) a year.
For that reason, a lot of start-ups are focusing on finding ways to help people adhere to their prescriptions, the report said.
"It is also possible that Oberfest's experience would fit into Apple's existing initiatives including its Apple Watch which is focused on behaviour change, and its health software services like HealthKit and ResearchKit," added the report.
Apple, which has increased efforts in the global health care space, declined to comment on the development.
Written with inputs from IANS
