The Use of Wearable Technology in Monitoring and Managing Health

Posted on: May 12, 2023 | | Written by:

The Use of Wearable Technology in Monitoring and Managing Health

Published on May 11, 2023. EST READ TIME: 3 minutes

Wearable Technology to Monitor your Health

Wearable technology has become ubiquitous in modern life, from tracking daily steps and calories burned to receiving notifications and controlling smart home devices. But the potential uses of wearable tech extend far beyond these everyday conveniences. In recent years, healthcare professionals have been exploring the use of wearable technology as a tool for monitoring and managing health. Wearable devices can track a range of health metrics, including heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and more. With the ability to gather real-time data about a range of health metrics, wearable devices have the potential to revolutionise the way we approach our healthcare needs. Let’s take a look at how these gadgets can help us monitor as well as manage health conditions.

What is wearable technology?

Wearable technology, as the name indicates, is an electronic device you need to wear to track and monitor your health and other vital signs. The gadgets can be in the form of accessories, jewellery, medical devices, fixed in clothing, or inserted in your body. Powered by microprocessors, these devices send and receive data about your health and habits related to your lifestyle. Due to customers’ growing interest in health monitoring and sharing related data with their healthcare providers and insurers, the use of wearable technology has more than tripled in the past four years.

Benefits of wearable technology in healthcare

1. Wearable healthcare technology helps to monitor your health regularly and detect any warnings or alerts in your vital signs. As a result, the user can take proactive action to prevent any casualty or emergency in the early stages. At the same time, healthcare providers can help patients quickly respond to the alerts and provide prompt treatment.

2. You are well aware of your health conditions due to the wealth of data a wearable device provides. The technology also boosts doctor-patient engagement and involves patients in maintaining their health.

3. Wearable devices help reduce healthcare costs because a user is able to manage health, detect early signs of disease, and minimise the risks of an ailment. Also, if you are secured with a health insurance plan, it can reduce your out-of-pocket expenses.

4. The personal health data generated by wearable devices can be shared directly with doctors and analysed to monitor patients remotely. This approach can help reduce personal visits and also lessen the workload of healthcare professionals.

Types of wearable technology

1. Fitness trackers:

These gadgets come in the form of wristbands or straps fitted with sensors which monitor your physical activity and other vital signs, such as heart rate, blood pressure, etc. Although such wearables are the most basic gadgets, they can be conveniently and easily synced to smartphone apps wirelessly for storing and processing data.

2. Smartwatches:

These are now not just to count steps but can also be used to monitor your health and fitness. For instance, a smartwatch for people with Parkinson’s disease can help track symptoms and transmit the data to develop more personalised treatment plans. In 2017, Apple launched the Apple Heart Study app to monitor users’ heart rhythms and alert those experiencing atrial fibrillation.

3. ECG monitors:

These devices can continuously track your heart rate or the pulse and send the reading to your doctor. It can also detect atrial fibrillation. Although such monitors give accurate data, you should not depend on them entirely, as licenced medical devices are more precise.

4. Smart clothing and sensors:

Smart clothing comes with built-in technology that helps collect your biometric and physical data, such as heart rate and body temperature, via sensors. The data is transmitted over Bluetooth to a connected device, such as a smartphone which the wearer can easily access. Artificial Intelligence, advanced textile fabrics, biotechnology, and microelectronics can be used in smart clothing.

5. Continuous Glucose Monitoring device:

By using continuous glucose monitoring devices or CGMs, you can monitor and manage Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. A sensor is fitted just under your skin that continuously monitors blood sugar levels. The results are sent to a wearable or mobile device via a transmitter.

6. Sleep trackers:

This health monitoring device needs to be worn on the wrist or finger while sleeping and monitors your heart rate, respiratory patterns, and other vital parameters. The device will record your sleep data, such as duration of sleep, the number of times you wake up at night, wake-up time, and the various stages of your sleep, like light and deep sleep.

Conclusion

With people becoming more fitness and health conscious, there is a growing demand for wearable healthcare technology such as fitness trackers, smartwatches, etc. They are also beneficial as users can track and monitor their health conditions and seek medical advice if required.

Along with wearable devices and a healthy lifestyle, it is also important to secure yourself and your family with health insurance plans to stay financially prepared for any medical emergency. For parents above 60, senior citizen health insurance is the best option as it is specially designed to meet their medical needs. Depending on your family size and budget, you can opt for family or individual health insurance plans. Ensuring you have active health insurance plans for financial protection during unforeseen circumstances acts as a safety net that protects you and your family during medical emergencies. And wearable gadgets can keep you a step ahead and send you warning signals if there is an underlying health issue so that you can seek timely medical intervention.

Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.

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