What wearable fitness!
Courtesy: Wow!
Wearable fitness tracker Whoop announced Friday that it will introduce in-app access to on-demand licensed doctors for users in the United States.
The new feature comes alongside a set of health and AI-driven features launching globally that will allow users to connect their continuous biometric data with real-time medical guidance.
Many of the new features are included in the price of membership, although live video consultations for US users will cost extra. Pricing and details will be available when that option launches this summer, according to the company.
“Whoop is a membership and we take it seriously,” Ed Baker, chief product officer at Whoop, said in the press release. “We're always asking ourselves how we can deliver more value to our members, and these upcoming features are some of the most meaningful we've ever created.”
Whoop, which has more than 2.5 million users worldwide, closed a $575 million funding round in March that raised the company's valuation to $10.1 billion, it said.
Medical consultations will begin with a comprehensive evaluation of the data collected by the device and, when available, blood tests and medical history, the company said in its statement.
A spokesperson told CNBC that the video consultation feature is designed to complement a user's existing care, not to replace a primary care doctor or emergency service. The company said later Friday that details about prescribing through the service “are not available at this time.”
“As our training data and insights become more advanced and personalized, the next step is to give members access to a comprehensive understanding of their overall health,” Whoop CEO Will Ahmed told CNBC.
The update also includes a partnership with medical recordkeeper HealthEx. Users will be able to track diagnoses, medications and procedures directly within the Whoop app and receive personalized AI-powered advice and proactive check-in reminders.
It comes less than a year after the US Food and Drug Administration sent Whoop a warning letter about its Blood Pressure Insights feature. The FDA said Whoop was marketing an unauthorized medical device intended to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent a disease.
However, new FDA guidance released in January allows optical blood pressure measurements on wellness devices, as long as they do not make “medical grade” diagnostic claims.
