Best Buy launches a new health and safety service with Lively app and Apple Watch

The Apple Watch is a powerful tool. It goes well beyond just telling the time or keeping tabs on apps. It is packed with health features, like fall detection, the ability to take an ECG, and much more. And now Best Buy is using that tool for its own health-related effort.

A new partnership with Apple and the Lively service, Best Buy Health is launching an effort for elderly individuals for emergency and non-emergency services. The big box retailer is even offering a pretty solid discount on Apple’s newest smartwatches, the Apple Watch Series 6 and the Apple Watch SE.

Best Buy announced the new initiative today, along with a breakdown for how it will work. It relies on the Lively app, along with an Apple Watch. With the smartwatch and the app, those participating in the service can get help from “highly trained Lively Urgent Response Agents”, all to get help in certain situations. Those agents can help with emergency situations, and can even call for help. That includes just having car troubles.

From the announcement today:

By offering these powerful safety features on Apple Watch, we’re creating a new way to achieve a greater sense of connection and independence for older adults, and added peace of mind for both them and their families,” said David Inns, Best Buy Health’s president of active aging. “It’s the perfect next step in furthering Best Buy Health’s mission to enrich and save lives through technology and meaningful connections.

There is a new feature coming soon, too, called Live Agent Assist. With this feature, if the Apple Watch detects a hard fall, a Lively Agent will call the person to make sure they are okay. If necessary, that same agent can contact family members to let them know what’s going on. Best Buy Health says it worked with Apple directly in regards to this feature.

Best Buy is offering $200 off an Apple Watch Series 6, and $150 off the Apple Watch SE for folks who sign the Preferred Health & Safety contract. They’ll also need to sign up and get a Lively Health & Safety plan. Once signed up, those folks can get the following features, plus more:

  • Urgent Response, which provides a connection to highly trained Agents who can help in emergencies, big or small, 24/7.  Get help fast by simply adding the Urgent Response button to Apple Watch face.
  • Urgent Care, which allows the user to speak to a registered nurse or board-certified doctor from the comfort of home or on the go, without an appointment, 24/7. No insurance plan or co-pay is needed.
  • GreatCall Link app for friends and family, which keeps them informed about their loved one’s health and safety. They will be alerted on their smartphone if their loved one contacts Urgent Response and can even get updates on their location, device’s battery life and daily activity.

That Preferred Health & Safety plan is $30. It’s a two-year package.

Best Buy Health aims to enrich and save lives through technology and meaningful connections. Its strategy focuses on three main areas: consumer health products that help customers live healthier lives, device-based emergency response services for the active aging population, and virtual care offerings that help to connect patients and physicians.

It seems like a solid enough option, if folks want to rely on Best Buy Health in this regard.