Wearable technology in healthcare is set to revolutionize the industry, providing patients with detailed data that can lead to actionable insights. Wearables allow patients to collect their health data and report it digitally, eliminating the need for face-to-face consultations. Insurance companies and healthcare providers are also adopting wearable technology to provide more personalized and accurate health plans based on data collected from health monitoring devices. Even businesses are adopting wearables to encourage healthy habits among office workers and employees working from home.
What is Wearable Technology in Healthcare?
Wearable technology in healthcare refers to devices worn by patients that collect and provide health and fitness data to doctors, healthcare providers, insurers, and other stakeholders. Examples include fitness trackers, blood pressure monitors, and biosensors.
These benefits are spurring a surge in demand for wearable medical devices such as fitness trackers, smart watches, electrocardiogram (ECG) monitors, blood pressure monitors, biosensors, etc. The smart wearable health device market was valued at $13.8 billion in 2020 and is expected to balloon to $37.4 billion by 2028.
Here, we look at 13 companies that are transforming the patient experience and driving this growth through wearable technology in healthcare.
Wearable medical devices for everyday health
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Health tech company Silvertree offers Silvertree Reach, a wearable device developed to monitor the health and safety of active seniors. Aimed at increasing seniors’ independence, the Reach wristband comes bundled with a subscription connected service that allows the wearer to send emergency notifications. The device also has GPS tracking for emergencies and detects falls. The Reach app counts steps, makes medical records and digital ID available, and makes it easier to communicate with loved ones.
Location: Olathe, Kansas
Garmin manufactures a wide range of fitness and health tracking wearable devices for adults and children. Garmin also offers all-day activity trackers that count steps, distance, intensity and calories to help users maintain their health and fitness goals. The company’s Venu series of wearables tracks body patterns, sleep quality and heart rate, and pairs with Apple and Android smartphones for added convenience.
Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts
Headquartered in France, Withings is a health and wellness company that provides products to help people stay healthy. Since developing the first WiFi weight scale, the company has developed connected wellness devices such as health watches. Withings’ wearable trackers include activity tracking, ECG, heart rate and sleep monitoring.
Location: San Francisco, California
While fitness and health wearable devices typically take the form of a watch, Motiv does things a little differently. The Motiv Ring sits on the user’s finger and monitors activity, sleep, and heart rate. The ring’s app allows users to track and adjust goals, all while storing the data in Google Fit and Apple Health.
Wearable Technology for the Hearing Impaired
Location: New York, New York
Jabra Hearing is a direct-to-consumer hearing care telehealth company that provides high-tech hearing aids that are remotely programmed for each customer. Potential customers are screened for eligibility and then attend a video orientation with a Jabra hearing care professional, who provides instructions on how to wear, care for and adjust the hearing aids, which are then delivered to the customer’s home.
Wearable Heart Monitoring
Location: Cupertino, California
Apple’s Apple Watch has a variety of health tracking features, including heart rate notifications for irregular rhythms and heart rates that are too high or low, among many other use cases. The watch also has an ECG app and auto-enabled fall detection for users over 65. The health features on the Apple Watch and iPhone allow users to monitor their heart health and store important medical information for instant access.
Location: Mountain View, California
KardiaMobile is a product made by AliveCor, a medical device and artificial intelligence company that develops products for testing, diagnosis, and treatment. KardiaMobile is an ECG that attaches to the back of a mobile device, such as an iPhone or Android. It tracks your heart activity and transmits that activity to a mobile app through sensors on your chest and finger.
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Wearable Women’s Health Tracking
Location: San Francisco, California
The Ava bracelet is a nighttime-only wearable that helps women naturally track their cycle to gain greater understanding about fertility, pregnancy and overall health. In addition to easily tracking symptoms, ovulation and periods, the wearable also tracks and records sleep, stress levels and resting heart rate, all within the Ava app.
Location: San Francisco, California
In addition to tracking steps, Fitbit also offers a comprehensive health coaching platform that provides solutions for corporate health management, health systems, and researchers. Fitbit’s smart watches work with Apple and Android products and provide mobile services in the form of the Fitbit app. Users can also use the app’s features to track their menstrual cycle, period, and reproductive information.
Wearable Health Monitoring Devices
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
PatientPoint’s offerings for patient engagement include remote patient monitoring technology provided by telecare company Optimize Health. PatientPoint works with healthcare providers to see which patients are eligible and handles the logistics of shipping and onboarding the devices to patients. The company says the monitoring program allows medical staff to identify trends in patients’ key metrics and adjust treatment plans appropriately, with an app for patients who need preventive cardiac care, for example.
Location: Lehi, Utah
Owlet develops wearable devices and cameras for infants and toddlers that track heart rate and oxygen levels, measure sleep, and have audio and video streaming capabilities for monitoring. Owlet’s products are tracked through a mobile app and provide weekly milestones of an infant’s development.
Wearable Biosensor Technology
Location: Chicago, Illinois
Abbott serves a wide range of healthcare consumers and professionals in areas including physical activity, diabetes and heart disease. The company has also made significant progress in developing a glucose sports biosensor. Known as Libre Sense, the biosensor is worn on the underside of the upper arm and collects glucose level data for athletes age 16 and older. Libre Sense is also available over the counter and works with a mobile app to make the data accessible.
Location: Fully remote
Manufactured by L’Oreal brand La Roche-Posay, My Skin Track UV is a wearable sensor that works with a mobile app to track a user’s exposure to UV rays, pollen, humidity and pollution. It also gives users steps to combat the harmful effects. The sensor does not require batteries and is available on the App Store.
