JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Wearable sensor devices connected via networked devices have potential to generate data that may help to automate processes of care, engage patients, and increase healthcare efficiency. The evidence of effectiveness of such technologies is however nascent and less still is known about unintended consequences.

Objective:

To explore the opportunities and challenges surrounding the use of data from wearable sensor devices in healthcare.

Methods:

We conducted a qualitative theoretically-informed case study to purposefully sample international experts in healthcare, technology, business, innovation, and social sciences drawing on sociotechnical systems theory. We used in-depth interviews to capture perspectives on development, design, and use of data from wearable sensor devices in healthcare, and employed thematic analysis of interview transcripts the help of NVivo to facilitate coding.

Results:

We interviewed 16 experts. Although the use of data from wearable sensor devices in health and care has significant potential in improving patient engagement, there are a number of issues that stakeholders need to negotiate to realize these benefits. These include the current gap between data created and meaningful interpretation in health and care contexts; integration of data into healthcare professional decision-making; negotiation of blurring lines between consumer and medical care; and pervasive monitoring of health across previously disconnected contexts.

Conclusions:

Stakeholders need to actively negotiate existing challenges to realize the integration of data from wearable sensor devices into electronic health records. Viewing wearables as active parts of a connected digital health and care infrastructure in which various business, personal, professional, and health system interests align, may help to achieve this.