Wearable devices in healthcare have the potential to give patients more control over their own health, but there are still challenges that need to be addressed, according to a report from the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives and KLAS Research. They found that health systems need to improve both security and connectivity in order for wearable devices to be more widely adopted.
Innovative healthcare organizations that have made significant progress in implementing wearable devices are now focusing on measuring the effectiveness of these patient engagement tools and making adjustments to ensure the best outcomes, the survey revealed. This suggests that the industry is moving towards better patient-centric care while also involving patients more in managing their own health.
The report, authored by the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives, KLAS Research, and market intelligence firm Digital Health Analytics, highlights the top uses for wireless technology as identified by 314 health IT executives surveyed. These executives represent the digital footprint of around 40% of hospitals in the United States. The most popular uses for wireless technology include telehealth for clinicians, wireless voice over internet protocol, video monitoring, cellular connectivity throughout premises, radio frequency identification/real-time location systems, telemetry over internet protocol, wander management/patient elopement/infant abduction, and patient wearables integrated with the EHR.