Apple’s healthcare technology is showing early promise as a way for doctors to monitor patients remotely and lower costs.

Right now, 14 of 23 top hospitals have rolled out or about to roll out a pilot program of the HealthKit service, which acts as a repository for patient-generated health information like blood pressure, weight or heart rate.

Apple’s rivals such as Google and Samsung are also fighting for their piece of the $3 billion U.S. healthcare market.The pilots aim to help physicians monitor patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. The hope is that doctors will be able to catch early signs of trouble and intervene before a medical problem becomes acute, helping hospitals avoid repeat admissions.

Apple’s HealthKit can take input from a number of different sources like glucose measurement tools, food and exercise-tracking apps and Wi-Fi connected scales. Additionally, the upcoming Apple Watch will add to the range of possible data, which with patients’ consent can be sent to an electronic medical record for doctors to view.

Meanwhile, Apple’s rivals such as Google and Samsung are also fighting for their piece of the $3 billion U.S. healthcare market. Samsung said it is working with Boston’s Massachusetts General Hospital to develop mobile health technology, and has also established a relationship with the University of California’s San Francisco Medical Center.

Google, on the other hand, has been pushing its Google Fit service that works in the similar fashion the Apple’s HealthKit. The Mountain View-based search giant has several developer partners on board, but has yet to announce a single deal with hospitals.

[Via: Reuters]