How Wearables Are Changing Preventive Healthcare
In an era where technology has marked its dominance in every facet of our lives, the healthcare industry is undergoing a transformation driven by technological advancements.
The one thing that has significantly transformed, in fact, revolutionized the entire healthcare system is wearable devices.
The emergence and growing adaptation of wearable technology has changed the way we monitor health and engage in preventive care. All thanks to innovations like smartwatches and fitness tracks, wearable devices are empowering a new paradigm in this industry– preventive healthcare. It is a new domain of healthcare that is centred around proactive, personalized well-being.
This blog is all about the role of wearable technology in changing preventive healthcare. We will also understand the relationship between them and what their future prospects are.
The Rise of Wearables in Preventive Healthcare
With the increasing popularity of self-monitored healthcare, the past decade has seen a remarkable rise in the already significant market of wearable devices. A report by Statista mentions that the global market of wearable health devices is projected to surpass the mark of $60 billion by 2027.
This rise in the use of wearable health devices clearly indicates that this technology can satisfy the demand for personal health monitoring and preventive healthcare. The rise of wearable devices in the healthcare industry is quite significant and it is not going to stop anytime soon.
Wearables and Preventive Healthcare: The Relation
Preventive healthcare focuses on preventing diseases and illnesses in the first place rather than treating them after they occur in patients. With the increasing risk of several diseases in people of all ages, preventive healthcare has become a common practice, as it is much better as compared to taking treatment.
Preventive healthcare has greatly benefited from the rise of wearable technology as these devices provide crucial information about key health metrics of a patient. Continuous monitoring of key health metrics helps in preventing time-consuming and expensive diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and even some mental health issues.
The Contribution of Wearables to Preventive Healthcare
Till now, we have clearly understood that wearable devices are playing a crucial role in transforming preventive healthcare. Their impact on the healthcare sector is quite significant, and it cannot be ignored at any cost.
So, now let’s have a look at some prominent ways in which wearables are contributing to preventive healthcare:
Continuous Monitoring for Early Detection
The most promising feature of wearable devices is their ability to provide round-the-clock monitoring of specific health parameters such as heart rate, oxygen level, stress level, and others.
This enables early detection of diseases and allows individuals to seek medical attention before symptoms worsen, potentially saving lives. These features also enable healthcare providers to receive real-time alerts about patient health, prompting quick medical action.
Encouraging Healthier Lifestyle Choices
Another way in which wearables contribute to preventative healthcare is by encouraging healthier lifestyle choices and habits. Many devices are integrated with features that promote physical activity, proper sleep, and better diet management.
Wearable devices reduce the risk of diseases by providing daily updates that guide users on decisions related to their health. When paired with applications, they facilitate interactions that empower users to set objectives, monitor progress, and receive recommendations for improving their health.
Chronic Disease Management
Wearable devices have been proving significantly useful in managing chronic diseases like hypertension, diabetes, and asthma. Devices like smart blood pressure monitors and continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) allow individuals to manage their conditions more effectively and prevent potential problems.
Additionally, patients can send their wearable data directly to healthcare providers via applications, allowing doctors to monitor patient progress remotely and adjust preventive plans as needed. This reduces the need for frequent clinic visits.
Integration with Healthcare Systems
A significant impact of wearable technology in preventive healthcare is due to its ability to integrate seamlessly with existing healthcare systems. Wearable devices can collect and transmit health data directly to healthcare providers, facilitating efficient patient management.
This integration plays a pivotal role in remote patient monitoring, especially for chronic disease management. This significantly reduces physical visits to healthcare facilities, reduces costs, and saves time in delivering urgent healthcare.
Enhanced Patient-Doctor Communication
Wearable devices have been significantly contributing to preventive healthcare by bridging the gap between patients and doctors. They act as a reliable way of communication and seamless health data sharing between both parties, fostering better collaboration and healthcare.
By enabling continuous communication and sharing of real-time data, wearable devices help healthcare providers make precise, informed decisions and suggest ideal preventive healthcare practices to patients.
Mental Health Support
Beyond physical health, wearable devices are increasingly helpful in preventing mental health issues. These devices can monitor parameters related to mental health such as stress level, sleep patterns, physical activity, anxiety, and others, offering valuable insights into mental health and related problems.
Additionally, some advanced wearable devices are now incorporated with guided meditation sessions and stress management programs to proactively support mental well-being and promote preventive healthcare against mental issues.
The Future of Wearables in Preventive Healthcare
The future of wearables in preventive healthcare looks quite promising with a lot of new improvement opportunities yet to be discovered. It can be said that wearable technology is just scratching the surface of its potential in preventive healthcare and it will definitely rise in the future.
With the advances in technologies like AI, ML, and big data analytics, these devices are only going to evolve and will offer more robust features such as detecting neurological disease precursors, monitoring respiratory conditions, and diagnosing illnesses using continuous biometric tracking.
Conclusion
Wearable devices are proving to be more than just tech gadgets; they are acting as a powerful tool in driving a paradigm shift in preventive healthcare. By continuous health monitoring, encouraging healthier lifestyle habits, chronic disease management, and other similar contributions, wearables are empowering individuals to take care of their health like never before.
The preventive healthcare for tomorrow will be more proactive, predictive, and personalized. Wearables will play a critical role in this transformation, making preventive healthcare more effective and accessible for everyone.
