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As we marvel at the gadgets that companies such as Nike, Fitbit, Jawbone and Apple have recently produced and brought to market--gadgets that can record our heart rate, calories expended, and steps taken—one can only think of how this technology could likely be used on a greater scale to help those who truly need it the most: people with chronic medical illnesses such as emphysema, diabetes, or congestive heart failure.
Via ET Russell
I particular liked the acknowledgement that there is a need for integrated and coordinated healthcare.
'Help caregivers work more as a team: 79% of physicians and close to 50% of consumers believe using mobile devices can help physicians better coordinate care.'
Everyone one has a role to play from the patient, caregiver, physician community and support groups. So how can we harness this concept and put it into action?
The current target for wearables is the same as for gyms and sports clubs - this leads to stats as commented in the article: "Less than half of people who own a wearable use it on a daily basis". Currently wearables are being treated as "add-on" to a healthy lifestyle, but form no real part of it. We need them to become "add-ins" (to coin a phrase), an integral part of health management within the home - the active-patient paradigm.
With the advent of all this wonderful technology we can't lose sight of initiating the care without assessing the patient's desire to participate... Becoming partners in care seems to be the most effective way to help the chronically ill...