House Call: Teamwork and technology for better health
Many of you have seen advertisements about the latest health technology monitoring devices which leave many patients wondering, are they really that accurate? Would they be helpful to me? Is it just an expensive gimmick?
As it turns out, many smart watches and fitness trackers are quite accurate at monitoring not only pulse rate and activity level including steps taken per day, but they can also monitor sleep quality at night and give clues if you might be suffering from sleep apnea. By recording data over time, you can compare and monitor your progress. In addition, some of these devices are even set up to monitor cardiac rhythms when used properly.
Many times, patients will note a transient episode of a “funny heartbeat” or brief bouts of excessive thirst or urination, only to have these symptoms disappear completely for long periods of time. When they come in for their annual well exam, they may have forgotten these episodes or minimized their significance. If you’re only thinking about your health when a problem pops up or at a wellness exam, your provider might only be seeing part of the picture.
Health care works best when it’s a collaboration between a provider’s knowledge and expertise and your understanding of your day-to-day activity, needs and well-being, ideally including details and data from your daily life.
The good news is that the ability to track and manage health trends has become easier and more accurate. Some of the technologies can really round out the picture of what is happening, often during times when patients are not even having symptoms.
Here are five ways that health tracking devices can improve your well-being:
Your vital signs and symptoms may be different at home.
It’s not uncommon for patients to experience elevated blood pressure in a doctor’s office setting. Hypertension often doesn’t have obvious symptoms, so regular readings at home with a blood pressure monitor (easily found at your local drug store or chain store) can help detect undiagnosed hypertension or provide reassurance. If you do have elevated blood pressure, regular monitoring can identify changes and determine if treatments are working. (Make sure you talk with your provider about how to get accurate readings at home.)
Join your own health care team.
I’ve seen some wonderful collaborations between health care team and patient that not only managed symptoms and conditions well, but also help relieve some of the emotional and mental stress of health issues.
A recent patient of mine with lung cancer and a history of blood clots was reporting shortness of breath, a concerning symptom. While the patient was having regular appointments with me and an oncologist, they also got a pulse oximeter – an affordable portable device that monitors oxygen levels in the blood. When the patient noticed shortness of breath, they could record their blood oxygen level and take notes to later troubleshoot the problem with the health care team. Together, we could more accurately examine if it was a concerning change or a less serious reaction. With the additional data, we were able to reassure the patient.
See and share real-time data on chronic conditions.
Some of the new technologies have truly transformed the real-time information available to both patient and provider, which can lead to better management of chronic conditions like asthma, heart disease and diabetes.
‘Smart’ heart monitor cuffs can detect irregular heartbeats and transmit data to your doctor for review or send the data to your smartphone for sharing. For patients with diabetes, a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) is a wearable device that measure glucose levels in the body 24 hours a day, without the need for skin pricks. The device can alert you when glucose levels are too high or too low, and also share that information electronically with your care team.
There are many newer easy and accessible ways to gather data over time that can help to improve quality of life and reduce the risk of complications associated with chronic conditions. Providers may also continue to recommend patients come in for monitoring or use an outpatient medical device like a wearable heart monitor. Talk with your doctor about what’s right for your needs.
Use feedback to change your behavior.
Maintaining your health is an ongoing practice, and regular, accurate feedback can help you make changes in your daily life. Some of that feedback should be from wellness visits with your provider and any needed lab tests.
Technology can also tell you a story about your heath through data that may help you make adjustments or stick to changes to improve your health. A diabetic can use evidence of what happens to blood sugar after eating certain meals and adjust their diet accordingly. Information on your heart rate, activity levels and weight can help you adjust your workout routine more accurately.
Health care technology can support your health goals and support a teamwork approach that helps you manage your own health alongside your provider. Welcome to the health care technology future!