You're struggling to engage patients in Patient Advocacy. What are the most innovative ways to use wearables?

1 Monitor and share health data

One of the main benefits of wearables is that they can collect and transmit various health data, such as heart rate, blood pressure, glucose levels, sleep quality, or activity levels. This data can help you and your patients monitor their health status, identify potential issues, and adjust their treatment plans accordingly. You can also use wearables to share this data with other health care providers, such as doctors, nurses, or pharmacists, to facilitate communication and coordination of care. By using wearables to monitor and share health data, you can help your patients gain more insight into their health, adhere to their medications, and avoid unnecessary hospitalizations.

2 Provide feedback and motivation

Another way to use wearables for patient advocacy is to provide feedback and motivation to your patients. Wearables can offer personalized and real-time feedback, such as alerts, reminders, tips, or rewards, to help your patients stay on track with their health goals and behaviors. For example, a wearable device can remind your patient to take their medication, drink water, or exercise, and provide them with positive reinforcement or incentives for doing so. You can also use wearables to motivate your patients by creating challenges, competitions, or social networks with other patients or advocates who have similar conditions or interests. By using wearables to provide feedback and motivation, you can help your patients improve their self-management skills, confidence, and satisfaction.

4 Address barriers and disparities

A fourth way to use wearables for patient advocacy is to address barriers and disparities that may affect your patients' access to quality health care. Wearables can offer solutions to overcome some of the common barriers and disparities, such as distance, cost, language, or culture, that may prevent your patients from receiving the care they need or deserve. For example, a wearable device can enable your patient to access telehealth services, such as online consultations, prescriptions, or referrals, from anywhere and at any time. A wearable device can also provide your patient with translation, interpretation, or cultural competence services, to help them communicate and interact with their health care providers. By using wearables to address barriers and disparities, you can help your patients reduce their health inequities, improve their access to care, and enhance their quality of life.

5 Protect privacy and security

A fifth way to use wearables for patient advocacy is to protect privacy and security for your patients. Wearables can pose potential risks to your patients' privacy and security, such as data breaches, hacking, or misuse, that may compromise their personal or health information. You can use wearables to protect privacy and security by ensuring that your patients have control over their data, such as who can access, use, or share it, and for what purposes. You can also use wearables to educate your patients about the potential risks and benefits of wearables, and how to safeguard their data, such as by using passwords, encryption, or consent forms. By using wearables to protect privacy and security, you can help your patients maintain their trust, autonomy, and dignity.

Wearables are not only devices that can track your fitness or tell you the time. They are also powerful tools that can help you enhance your patient advocacy efforts and improve your patients' outcomes. By using wearables to monitor and share health data, provide feedback and motivation, enhance education and empowerment, address barriers and disparities, and protect privacy and security, you can empower and support your patients to make informed decisions about their health care and advocate for their rights and interests.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?