Research

Wearable fitness technology encompasses: Fitbit, smart watches, and many other products. According to CIO, 39.5 million U.S. adults used wearable devices including smartwatches and fitness trackers. This is a 57.7% increase in one year. The information that is currently being collected is used for personal use. Although, according to recent healthcare provider trends the data can be used for a business purpose.

Precision medicine is an emerging approach for disease treatment and prevention that takes into account individual variability in genes, environment, and lifestyle for each person. Precision medicine  isn’t waiting for patients to become sick, but treating a patient while he or she is healthy. Health fitness trackers are helping make precision medicine more achievable. According the Wall Street Journal hospitals are conducting research on the wearable technology, and have found that when cardiac-surgery patients moved more the day after surgery the patients were more likely to be discharged sooner. The research from the technology is changing the way hospitals are treating patients and bringing physical therapist to increase patients health as well to decrease hospitals costs.

Wearable fitness technology, not  only has to potential to help the overall health of the user, but help promote precision medicine to the masses. Wearable technology, can help reduce costs in medical facilities, and in turn health insurance.

 

 

Sources:

http://www.cio.com/article/3017995/wearable-technology/13-wearable-tech-trends-to-watch-in-2016.html

http://www.wsj.com/articles/health-data-at-hand-with-trackers-1403561237

http://venturebeat.com/2015/09/03/some-doctors-do-want-your-fitbit-data/

http://hitconsultant.net/2014/10/21/health-wearables-still-in-its-early-days/