The life-saving credentials of the Apple Watch have continued to ramp up with more stories of the revolutionary wearable surfacing. A British doctor has reportedly used an Apple Watch borrowed from a flight attendant to save the life of a distressed passenger during a flight.
Doctor's Heroic Act
The doctor, Rashid Diaz (43 years) is employed by the Hereford County Hospital, England, and was on a Ryanair flight from Birmingham, England to Verona, Italy on January 9, 2024. During the flight, an elderly woman became short of breath and Diaz volunteered to help after a crew member asked if there was a doctor on the flight. The woman was reported to be initially unresponsive to Riaz’s questions, but the doctor, after learning that the woman had a history of heart problems, requested the flight attendant’s Apple Watch. He used the Apple Watch to monitor the sick woman’s blood oxygen levels using the gadget’s blood oxygen app, which indicated low oxygen saturation.
Apple Watch as a Vital Wearable Device
Riaz then asked the flight crew for an oxygen cylinder which assisted him in stabilizing the woman’s oxygen saturation until the plane landed in Verona. The woman thereafter received additional medical assistance and was reported to have recovered quickly. Dr. Diaz stated that he used a lot of his learning during the flight on how to use the Apple Watch. He also stressed that it is a lesson in how we can improve in-flight journeys with such basic gadgets that can help in emergencies. Diaz applauded Ryanair for how they handled the situation but said airlines should consider having diagnostic health tools during flights. Such gadgets could be able to take vital health measurements like blood pressure and oxygen saturation, as well as help to determine if someone is having a diabetic emergency.
Legal Issues and Ban on Apple Watch Feature
It is noted that Apple lost a court case instituted by a company that claimed Apple infringed on its proprietary rights to its blood oxygen measuring tech. This has led to the ban of the blood oxygen feature in certain Apple Watches.
