iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches among Apple gadgets that greatly aid this Georgia hospital

The future is now! Emory Hillandale Hospital in Lithonia, Georgia, has adopted Apple technology across its operations, marking a notable shift in how it manages both clinical workflows and patient care.

With the integration of Epic Systems (a comprehensive electronic health record system) on Mac, the hospital has replaced its legacy systems with a suite of Apple devices, including iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac. This rollout is designed to streamline tasks for healthcare providers, reduce administrative burden, and improve overall efficiency.

The iPhone has become a central communication tool for clinicians. Each nurse and physician now carries their own device, allowing for quick updates and coordination. Physicians also use the Apple Watch to receive notifications in real time, including critical lab results via the Epic Limerick app. This level of responsiveness was not previously possible with traditional systems.

iPads are stationed outside every patient room, attached magnetically to allow easy access. These devices display real-time patient data like allergies and care instructions, improving communication among staff. Inside each room, patients also have their own iPads equipped with the MyChart Bedside app, enabling them to review medical records, view care plans, and communicate with healthcare teams directly.

That sounds practical, but I imagine some patients would want to give the iPads a spin and play a game or two, or watch a movie. Will that be possible?



Mac computers now replace all desktop and laptop systems throughout the hospital. Physicians use MacBook Air for its portability, while nursing stations are outfitted with iMac and Mac mini. This hardware setup supports Epic and other clinical tools, enabling physicians to manage patient care from virtually anywhere. Staff have reported benefits such as faster login times, easier documentation, and reduced eyestrain.

Before implementing these changes at Emory Hillandale, Emory Healthcare ran a pilot program at Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital. The results showed increased satisfaction among nurses and clinicians, with improvements in documentation speed and user experience. Research conducted by Emory's Dr. Vikram Narayan found that using Apple products with Epic and ambient documentation tools saved him an average of two hours per day.

Emory and Epic continue to explore new applications of Apple technology, including early use of Apple Vision Pro for surgical planning and research: and this is something that we've talked about since the headset's unveiling.