The technology marketplace is a veritable paradise for entrepreneurs attracted to electronic devices that can be used by consumers to enhance their personal health status. For example, a patient who has undergone breast cancer surgery may want to engage in the use of wearable sensors and cloud-based apps so that upon returning home after being discharged from the clinical setting, this individual may want to provide daily information to the health care team about her conditions and successes experienced in self-care involving physical exercise, massage, and skin care.
An article published on February 14, 2019 in the journal npj Digital Medicine indicates that recent years have witnessed an explosion in the number of wearable sensing devices and associated apps that target a wide range of biomedical metrics, from actigraphy to glucose monitoring to lung function. It is estimated that the number of connected wearable devices worldwide will increase from 325 million in 2016 to 929 million by 2021. Similarly, the digital health consumer base is growing in tandem, and it is forecasted that by 2021, the number of individuals using remote monitoring programs will grow to 52 million globally. This increased availability and choice of sensors is accompanied by a great challenge to optimize the match between the sensor and a specific application context. A structured approach is needed first to refine the requirements for a specific application, and then to evaluate the available devices against those requirements.
Increased device availability is leading to greater research and commercial opportunity, but it also can create significant confusion, especially for professionals who are attempting to select appropriate technologies that meet the requirements of their specific application for a clinical trial, research study, or a digital health service. The authors posit that there are no standardized methods to help professionals identify, evaluate, and compare the numerous human performance devices available. Consequently, they describe a framework that provides a comprehensive tool to enable users to define their specific requirements, conduct a systematic Web search and complete a holistic desk-based evaluation, to determine whether one or more devices are fit for purpose and worthy of field testing.
More Articles from TRENDS February 2019
THE PERIODIC TABLE OF ELEMENTS
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PRESIDENT’S CORNER—ASAHP MEMBER FOCUS
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The 116th Congress is faced with the challenge of identifying areas of bipartisan agreement in order to pass meaningful health legislation. Read More
HEALTH REFORM DEVELOPMENTS
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DEVELOPMENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION
Indicates a mechanism for reducing college student debt and the results of a request for comments on a proposed rule involving Title IX provisions for campus sexual assault allegations. Read More
QUICK STAT (SHORT, TIMELY, AND TOPICAL)
Record Number Of Novel Medical Devices Approved By The FDA In 2018
Nearly One-Quarter Of Antibiotic Prescriptions Filled Are Unnecessary
Enhanced Toy Dog Robot Includes An Ability To Learn From Its Owners
Electrical Stimulation Of The Brain During Surgery Produces Immediate Laughter And Calm Read More
AVAILABLE RESOURCES ACCESSIBLE ELECTRONICALLY
Adoption Of A National System For Electronic Use And Exchange Of Health Information
Current Status And Response To The Global Obesity Pandemic
How Innovation Will Blur Traditional Health Care Boundaries Read More
PUTTING PATIENTS FIRST AND DISPARITIES RESEARCH
Refers to disparities in language‐appropriate services in the in-patient hospital setting. Read More