100 Most Influential People in Healthcare - 2024

Since 2017, Desai has led Apple’s push into healthcare with leading-edge technologies built into the software giant’s products. One primary focus is tools aimed at consumers, such as mental health features for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch users. The company recently introduced a sleep apnea notification for Apple Watch. And AirPods now offer a hearing-aid feature. On the provider side, several health systems have used Apple’s Vision Pro technology to train clinicians and offer behavioral care, among other capabilities. Electronic health record company Epic’s software is additionally available on Apple’s App Store. Before moving to Apple, Desai served as Stanford Medicine’s vice chair of strategy and innovation in the department of medicine, along with associate chief medical officer at Stanford Healthcare. She continues to teach at Stanford School of Medicine.