Healthcare providers are hoping to deliver better care by integrating wearable technology in population health management programs.
FREMONT, CA: In the age of value-based care, health providers are seeking innovative ways to keep society healthy and out of hospital beds. This approach to population health management is making people look after themselves and come in for preventative examinations. Wearables mark an essential step in this evolution of how healthcare is delivered via population health management programs. With this, individuals can shift from being passive recipients of care to active participants in monitoring their health.
Wearable technology includes smartwatches, fitness trackers, and other medical devices. These high-tech devices can be worn on the wrist, attached to the arm, worn around the neck, or incorporated into clothing. Wearable technology typically includes smart sensors and web connections that link them to mobile devices to transfer data on health vitals. The data wearable devices can help a healthcare provider build a better wellness program to promote healthy lifestyles, knowledge of risk factors, etc. and assist in monitoring key health metrics for patients with chronic conditions and enhance treatment plans accordingly.
The expansion of wearables into population health management is due to the data they offer around clinical and wellness care. A person living with lifestyle diseases can be engaged when they actively participate and collaborate in their treatment plan and put effort into learning about their condition and practicing routine self-management. People understand and use technology in several ways. To achieve maximum value from wearables, data must be shared with care providers, who can use it to tailor better treatment plans. Data must be disclosed, within the guidelines agreed to by the user, within other communities so that patients can share information with others to gain motivation, join in challenges, and confirm participation.
Tremendous value can be gained from wearables, but this value won't be achieved if a device is too costly to purchase and operate. Healthcare providers must understand that none of these advancements will provide the results expected unless wearables are used to connect with target populations and unless care providers strive to use the insights to achieve their goals.
