Wearable Technology in Healthcare: Key Uses and Benefits

Wearable technologies, 'wearables', have been a feature of life for a while now. The first fairly rudimentary health trackers were introduced in the form of the Fitbit Flex back in 2013, which allowed users to track their daily steps but not a lot else besides. But now, wearable technology in healthcare holds massive promise.

Use of wearable technology has more than tripled in the last four years. According to research from Insider Intelligence, more than 80% of consumers are willing to wear fitness technology - The Insider

Since the pandemic started, the wearable device and healthcare software development markets have exploded. Innovators are taking huge steps—pardon the pun—towards integrating wearable technology in healthcare practices. This article explores the types of healthcare wearables, their key use cases, benefits and constraints of the technology.

Types of Wearable Technology for Healthcare

The market has undergone a major evolution since those first activity-tracking devices hit stores. And although the fitness and wellbeing wearable is sticking around, albeit in its enhanced and refined form, a host of other wearable technologies have joined the race.

Smartwatches and Fitness-Tracking Devices

Apple's Series 6 Watch, which was released in 2020, has cutting-edge telehealth features such as enhanced sleep-tracking and heart-monitoring capabilities—including FDA-approved electrocardiogram technology—and even Blood Oxygen saturation monitoring. It's not the only smartwatch or fitness tracker out there, however. According to Wareable, wearable tech shipments increased by 24% in 2020, with Apple, Fitbit, Garmin, Huawei, Samsung, and Amazfit taking a 60% slice of the market.

Wearable ECG and Blood Pressure Monitors

And there's booming market demand for devices such as wearable ECG and blood pressure monitors that send data directly to clinicians, enabling them to monitor patients' health and intervene where an issue is detected. This surge has been driven partly by the pandemic but also, importantly, by the modern desire for on-demand services that are compatible with busy lives.

Biosensors

Biosensors are another telehealth innovation that's providing promising results. These little adhesive patches allow wearers to move around and perform daily activities normally while capturing vitals such as heart rate, activity, temperature and breathing. Research suggests that these tiny devices can reduce instances of cardiac arrest in wearers by up to 89%.