Here's how doctors will test Apple's new patient tracking features

Apple briefly hinted last week that hospitals would soon try out HealthKit's patient tracking technology, and we now know those experiments are going to work. According to Reuters,
both Duke University and Stanford University are weeks away from
launching trial programs that will let doctors monitor vital stats with
patients' permission. In the Stanford test, young Type 1 diabetes
sufferers will carry both an iPod touch and a smart glucose meter to
keep tabs on their blood sugar levels. There are fewer details
surrounding Duke's pilot, but it will track the blood pressure and
weight of those with cancer or heart disease.

The projects are
starting out small; Stanford's initial effort will involve just two
patients, for example. However, the hope is to expand the scope quickly
if everything goes smoothly. Apple doesn't appear to be taking any
chances, either. Reuters understands that the tech giant is thinking about certifying HealthKit app providers to make sure that they don't play fast and loose
with your medical data, such as storing it insecurely or sharing it
with marketers. It'll be a while before your iPhone becomes a medical
diagnostic tool, but the necessary groundwork is quickly coming into
place.