Apple of Health Care

Those who know me, know I am a fan of Apple—the company and their line of products. Like most people, I find their devices highly intuitive, user friendly, fun and engaging. I love that they offer a complete portfolio of technology that meets all my needs. But most importantly, I admire how their products are completely integrated—my phone syncs with my watch/personal fitness monitor which talks to my iPad which then backs up to my personal computer—allowing all of my information to be accessed from one device. When you purchase an Apple product you step into a complete and closed system of technology and entertainment and rarely need or want to leave. In the business world, this is known as vertical integration. Whatever you call it—it’s a savvy strategy for developing loyal, lifelong customers.

At Jupiter Medical Center, we are striving to be the Apple of health care right here in Palm Beach County. By that I mean, our goal is to provide our patients with services at every point along their health care journey and do our best to make sure the care is seamlessly integrated along the way—decreasing time and costs while improving outcomes and value. We want our patients to be able to step into the Jupiter Medical Center system and get all the things they could possibly need from a flu shot, to maternity and pediatric care, to imaging and diagnostics or world-class oncology treatment, should they need it. Beyond building a robust set of services for patients, each time they come in contact with Jupiter Medical Center at any entry point, their health information is captured, electronic medical records sync, and this essential data can be accessed by members of the care team everywhere up and down the line.

In technology, Apple has championed vertical integration. Applying this model to health care will not only help remedy the sometimes fragmented and dysfunctional way care is currently delivered, it will ensure a more satisfying "user experience."