The future of wearable medical technology

Wearable technology has taken off massively in the last couple of years. Experts expect that the entire wearable technology market will reach a staggering $23 billion by 2025. This prediction makes it a lot easier for big businesses like Fitbit and Apple to keep rolling out the new tech, they need to make sure it is as safe for the consumer as possible, ensuring their products don’t hospitalize anybody, as other technologies have in the past. These big brands don’t want their products to lead to and be associated with issues such as the medical malpractice statute of limitations, which could be the following result of a faulty product.

What is interesting, however, is considering how all of this wearable tech will lead to masses of data being collected by these companies. This database will be a unique window into the daily lives of “healthy” Americans. With a study done by Business Insider saying that 4 out of 5 people are willing to use wearable technology, this database could end up being the largest of its type ever created.

Medical wearable technology is progressing at an incredible rate to match this growth. With the first wearable blood pressure monitor, the HeartGuide, coming out last year, and other devices that are able to monitor blood glucose levels in diabetics, people are really getting on board.

With the state of healthcare in the United States at the moment, and evidence suggesting that per person we pay the most just to be healthy, something has to change. The CDC has found that the majority of Americans live a sedentary lifestyle, eating the wrong foods, and rarely exercising enough. Shockingly, 25% of Americans avoid healthcare altogether!

Luckily, most Americans have a competitive streak. It is this streak that the developers of wearable technology are taking advantage of to increase mass usage. When things like exercise and healthy eating become a competition between friends and relatives, the rate at which people stick to their diets and exercise plans increases massively.

Some insurers are even jumping on board. By using your wearable data to track how healthy you are, some insurers are reducing your premiums if you get enough exercise during the day. Healthier Americans, they say, should receive discounts for their healthcare. It is unfair for them to pay the same costs as Americans who do not take care of their health.

Another reason medical technology is going to benefit the world immensely is the impact on healthcare workers. By sending data from wearable medical tech autonomously, the need for appointments and check-ups is greatly reduced. Decision making can be made instantly and over extended time periods. This means that instead of waiting weeks or perhaps months to be seen, doctors or machines can analyze data and send out tailored advice.

We are currently in a golden age of healthcare. People are living longer and have a much better chance of fighting deadly viruses and illnesses than ever before. With innovation happening every day in both the technology and medical fields, the combination of the two is exciting to watch. With more and more Americans purchasing smart wearable technology every single day, we can’t wait to see what the next decade will bring.