Right now, it might be impossible to write anything that doesn’t either tiptoe around the thing everyone’s been thinking about or in some way acknowledge what a strange alternative dimension we find ourselves living in. No longer both dressed up and somewhere else with everywhere to go but home; at our desks wrapped round cups of tea set down on beer mats between sending emesis via slacked-off slow-motion drunk dialler re-routings • No, this is not a scene from some futuristic science fiction film; it’s what wearable health tech actually looks like and it has implications for the way we perceive patient care.
The Wearable Revolution: Beyond the Step Count
Pedometers have come a long way from wearable health tech. More advanced today, these devices monitor hundreds of different health markers and measures. So, let us take a look at some of those game-changers.
Smart watches — these wearable computers have transformed into robust health monitors. Most of the obtained can monitor your heart rate, eavesdrop for falls and even perform ECGs.
FITNESS TRACKERS:
Although they may have had their origins as a step counter, modern day trackers can now even monitor sleep patterns and stress levels to increasingly elaborate readings such as blood oxygen saturation. For the diabetics out there, these are heaven sent. CGMs (Continuous Glucose Monitors) previously, they allowed glucose from the interstitial fluid to be measured in real-time without having to poke one’s finger all day long.
ECG Monitors:
ECG, or literally Electrocardiogram can be defined as a simple and non-invasive method for recording the electrical activities of your heart. Wearable ECG monitors are small sized devices that keeps track of the intensity at which electricity passes through your cardiac cells; therefore they may detect irregularities in rhythm leading to detection of various conditions like atria fibrillation early enough before it causes any negative outcomes on patient life-quality or even their mortality rate.
Sleep Trackers:
These monitor sleep patterns, which can help users and healthcare providers track the quality of sleep. So, there you have it—the secret behind real-time health data.
The biggest advantage of wearable health tech is that they can capture data in real-time. Types of stream with a constant stream of information, many advantages exist:
Early Detection:
Wearable’s constantly monitor the wearer’s vital signs, with sophisticated algorithms detecting subtle changes that may indicate a health issue forming long before any physical symptoms become apparent.
Better Patient Engagement:
patients can understand their health data and share progress with physicians.Remote monitoring: Providers are able to monitor patients’ health from a distance, decreasing the necessity of in-person visits and making it possible for earlier interventions. Dr. Sarah Johnson a cardiologist in the Metro Health system says, “Wearable health tech is like have having your own little medical team all day and every night.” It’s re-writing the rules of preventive care.
Challenges on the Horizon
Wearable health tech has the potential to be very big, but it faces multiple challenges:
Data Privacy:
A lot of health information is sensitive and securing this data would be critical.
Device Accuracy:
When wearables are used to make medical decisions, the credibility of data is very important.
Patient Compliance How consistently will your patients wear their wearable:UIControl & Monitoring: The benefit of a wearable is proportional to how accurately you monitor and adjust.
Pass-through Healthcare System Integration: Wearable’s hold the most promise if we can find a way to easily transition data from warbles into existing healthcare systems.
Impact on the World: Not Just a Number
The effect of this tech for health wearable’s is not limited to data points that are can be analyzed only on paper. Take Tom, a 55-year-old man with heart disease in his family. One of them noticed that his smart watch detected an abnormal heart rhythm while he was out for a morning run, motivating him to speak with his physician. The timely discovery helped detect atria fibrillation in good time which could avoid a stroke.
Consider Sarah, a type 1 diabetic who receives phone alerts from her continuous glucose monitor when it warns of imminent low blood sugar decades earlier than she will otherwise feel the symptoms and act to avoid severe hypoglycemia.
The Future is Wearable
This is just an example of what sci-fi writers have been fantasizing about and, as technology continues to advance, we’re likely going to see people walking around with even more advanced wearable health devices. Picture glucose-sensing contact lenses or clothes that sense dehydration and changes in wound condition.
There is a huge promise out there: Wearable health tech may transform the way we address patient care. They are powering a new wave of connected technologies ranging from helping ordinary people become masters of their own health to making healthcare more personalized and proactive.
JOIN THE WEARABLE HEALTH REVOLUTION?
Come on, whether you are a Healthcare Professional aiming to provide better care for your patients; an individual wanting more control over his own health or even just a Tech Follower waiting eagerly for the future of Medicine… There is at least some wearable health tech feature here that can tickle your fancy.
Wearable Health Techvelopment
Ready to take the first step of a healthier, more connected future? For a look at the world of wearables in health tech, catch us today!
