A report by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives and KLAS Research suggests that wearable devices have the potential to empower patients in their own healthcare. However, for broader adoption, health systems will need to improve security and connectivity. Healthcare organizations that are making the most progress in this area are measuring the effectiveness of patient engagement tools and making changes to produce optimal results.
The report highlights that healthcare organizations (HCOs) are working to combine personal technologies and healthcare, with a focus on data security and interoperability. This has the potential to lead to more effective, proactive, and patient-centric care. The authors of the report, including market intelligence firm Digital Health Analytics, suggest it will also give patients a larger role in managing their health.
According to the survey conducted by Digital Health Analytics, which represents about 40% of U.S. hospitals’ digital footprint, telehealth for clinicians was identified as one of the top uses for wireless technology among health IT executives surveyed. Other top uses included wireless Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), video monitoring, cellular connectivity throughout premises, Radio Frequency Identification/Real-Time Location Systems (RFID/RTLS), telemetry over Internet Protocol (IoT), wander management/patient elopement/infant abduction monitoring systems, and patient wearables integrated with electronic health records (EHRs).
