Healthcare wearables: Toeing the line between data privacy risks and remote patient care

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  Quantumrun Foresight
• December 6, 2021

Insight summary

Healthcare wearables have evolved from basic step trackers to sophisticated devices that monitor a wide range of health metrics, signaling a shift towards more personalized and proactive healthcare. These devices provide valuable data for healthcare providers and insurers, enabling early detection of health issues and influencing insurance premiums. However, this trend also raises significant concerns about cybersecurity, data privacy, and the need for comprehensive regulations to protect sensitive information.

Healthcare wearables context

The evolution of healthcare wearables began with simple devices like the FitBit, which was primarily designed to monitor the number of steps a person took each day. Over time, these devices have evolved into sophisticated systems that offer a wide range of health monitoring capabilities. A prime example of this evolution is the Apple Series 6 Watch, released in 2020. This device not only tracks daily activity and sleep patterns, but it also has the ability to alert users if it detects irregular heart rhythms, a feature that could potentially save lives by providing early warnings of serious health issues.

The continuous advancement in technology has paved the way for the development of wearable devices that can monitor electrocardiograms (ECGs) and blood pressure, providing even more comprehensive health data. In 2020, Philips introduced a biosensor self-adhesive patch. This wearable device is capable of collecting various data, including information about a patient's movement, body temperature, and respiratory rate.

These advanced healthcare wearables can also share information seamlessly. Users can easily transmit the data collected by their wearable devices to their physicians. This feature allows for real-time monitoring of patients' health, enabling healthcare providers to make timely interventions when necessary. In a broader perspective, the rise of these advanced healthcare wearables signifies a shift towards more personalized and proactive healthcare, where individuals can play a more active role in managing their health and wellness.

Disruptive impact

For healthcare providers, the data collected by these devices can be a valuable tool for not only diagnosing health conditions but also for administering preventive care. This shift towards preventive care could potentially reduce the burden on healthcare systems by catching health issues early before they require more intensive and costly treatments. For insurers, the data from wearables can provide insights into a person's lifestyle and health habits, which could influence the way insurance premiums are calculated.

However, the increasing use of wearable technology also raises important questions about cybersecurity and data privacy. As more and more sensitive health data is collected and shared, the risk of this information falling into the wrong hands increases. This could lead to identity theft and the misuse of personal health information. Therefore, it's crucial for companies that produce these devices, as well as healthcare providers and insurers, to invest in cybersecurity measures.

Regulation of data privacy, particularly in relation to health information, is a complex issue that is still being navigated. While policies such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU have set some standards for data privacy, the ownership of the data collected by wearable devices is still not well-defined. In the US, device makers may be subject to federal and state regulations, but these regulations may not fully address the unique challenges posed by wearable health technology.

Implications of healthcare wearables 

Wider implications of healthcare wearables may include:

• Healthcare providers and insurers efficiently monitoring patients, preventing critical illnesses, and lessening hospitalization load.


• Users becoming more invested in wearable technology and demanding more fitness-related services.


• The Internet of Things (IoT) with wearable devices becoming smarter and integrating with even more digital services.


• Governments balancing the benefits of wearable technology with the need for data privacy protections, leading to new legislation and potentially influencing international data sharing agreements.


• Older populations benefiting from wearable technology that can monitor health conditions and alert healthcare providers to issues, leading to improved quality of life and extending life expectancy.


• Technological advancements in healthcare wearables driving further research and development in related fields, such as artificial intelligence and data analysis.


• The demand for skills related to the development, production, and analysis of healthcare wearables increasing, leading to new career opportunities and potentially influencing education and training programs.


• The production of healthcare wearables leading to a greater emphasis on sustainable manufacturing practices and the development of recycling programs for electronic waste.

Questions to consider

• If you own healthcare wearables, do you find them useful and effective? Why or why not?


• What is your stance on the data privacy and cybersecurity risks that wearables raise?