The use of wearable devices in healthcare has the potential to empower patients in their own healthcare, according to a report from the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives and KLAS Research. However, for broader adoption, health systems need to improve security and connectivity. Healthcare organizations that are making progress in this area are measuring the effectiveness of patient engagement tools and making changes to produce optimal results.

The report suggests that HCOs are working to combine personal technologies and healthcare with a focus on data security and interoperability, which can lead to more effective, proactive, and patient-centric care. The authors of the report, including market intelligence firm Digital Health Analytics, suggest it will also give patients a larger role in managing their health.

According to the survey conducted by Digital Health Analytics among health IT executives representing about 40% of U.S. hospitals, the top uses for wireless technology include telehealth for clinicians, wireless Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), video monitoring, cellular connectivity throughout premises, Radio Frequency Identification/Real-Time Location Systems (RFID/RTLS), telemetry over Internet Protocol (IoT), wander management/patient elopement/infant abduction prevention systems and patient wearables integrated with electronic health records (EHR).