Wearable devices have the opportunity to empower patients in their own healthcare, but health systems will have to improve security and connectivity for broader adoption, according to a report from the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives and KLAS Research.
Healthcare organizations that are farthest along in this journey are now measuring the effectiveness of these patient engagement tools and making changes to produce optimal results, the survey found.
"As HCOs work to converge personal technologies and healthcare, data security, and interoperability, they are poised like never before to deliver more effective, proactive, and patient-centric care, all while giving patients a larger role in managing their health," wrote the Nov. 15 report's authors, which also included market intelligence firm Digital Health Analytics.
Here are the top uses for wireless technology, according to the 314 health IT executives surveyed, representing the digital footprint of about 40% of U.S. hospitals:
1. Telehealth for clinicians: 99%
2. Wireless Voice over Internet Protocol: 98%
3. Video monitoring: 96%
4. Cellular connectivity throughout premises: 95%
5. Radio Frequency Identification/Real-Time Location Systems: 87%
Telemetry over Internet Protocol: 87%
Wander management/patient elopement/infant abduction: 87%
8. Patient wearables integrated with the EHR: 52%