Tech & Innovation in Healthcare

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), more than 10,000 adults turn 65 years old each day in the United States. With all Baby Boomers 65 or older by 2030, technological solutions can help healthcare professionals provide optimal care to the older adult population.

Discover how wearables and AI can help providers tend to their aging patients.

Heart Rate Monitoring? There’s an App for That

Wearable technology continues to evolve and provide remote monitoring opportunities for physicians and caregivers of the aging population. Wearables take on a variety of different forms, such as smartwatches, activity trackers, and sensors worn on the body, but they’re each equipped with innovative technology that allows the clinician to have access to a vast data reserve they couldn’t review in the past.

Examples of wearables’ built-in technology include:

• Heart monitors: Both clinicians and the patient can easily monitor the patient’s cardiac health while the patient goes about their daily life.
• Predictive analytics: Clinicians and patients can be made aware of small issues before they worsen or providers can closely monitor the patient’s chronic conditions.
• Apps: Monitor blood pressure, blood oxygen levels, perform electrocardiograms (ECGs), calculate the patient’s body composition, and can even detect heart arrhythmias like atrial fibrillation (A-fib).

“I think it’s important to acknowledge that regardless of opinion, smartwatches and other personalized technologies are here to stay and will continue to improve/become more comprehensive as time progresses. That said, as a clinician I think they can be useful, but with caveats,” says Christopher J. Norman, MSN, APRN, APHN-BC, AGPCNP-BC, GNP-BC, geriatric nurse practitioner, advanced practice holistic nurse, and brain longevity specialist.

Example: A patient with high blood pressure is prescribed a new medication to help lower the blood pressure. The patient’s physician requests that the patient record their blood pressure once a day for three weeks, after which the patient will return for a follow-up appointment. With a wearable device and an app on the patient’s smartphone or tablet, the blood pressure data can be recorded several times a day without input from the patient or forcing the patient to remember to perform the task. When the patient returns for their follow-up appointment, the physician can download the data from the device and review it.

“Real-time data from a smartwatch that can be summarized and reviewed with a patient can be significantly more diagnostic than requesting a patient check their blood pressure once a day for a few weeks,” Norman says. He adds that the real-time data from a personalized device minimizes the challenges of an incorrectly placed blood pressure cuff and if the patient’s blood pressure is different at different times of day. Additionally, by using technology to monitor a patient’s condition when they’re out of the office helps you circumvent some of the barriers that patients may be facing when seeking care. These barriers could include lack of transportation to the clinic, mobility limitations, financial limitations, and several other reasons that fall under the Social Determinants of Health (SDOH).

Use AI to Detect Falls and Notify Caregivers

Falls are very common for older adults, especially those age 65 and older. Falls can be prevented, and with technology caregivers can help prevent falls while older patients age in place.

According to a 2020 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR):

• 35.6 million adults ages 65 years old and older reported a fall in 2018, resulting in 32,000 deaths.
• Approximately, 3 million older adults visit the emergency department each year for fall-related injuries.

Researchers and developers have discovered technological methods to predict, detect, and possibly prevent falls before they can happen. Researchers at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center studied the efficacy of smart socks with fall-risk patients. The socks feature pressure sensors that alert nearby caregivers if the patient attempts to stand up (Learn more in Tech & Innovation in Healthcare, Volume 2, Issue 10).

Technology can also help notify healthcare providers and loved ones if an older patient experiences a fall. Certain smartwatch models are equipped with enhanced fall detection and can send an emergency notification to preselected contacts, so family and caregivers can be made aware if a loved one is in need. Apps and smart speakers with fall detection capabilities and urgent response allow the patient to get in touch with healthcare providers, caregivers, and emergency medical teams.

Another example of fall detection technology is SafelyYou. The system pairs a video camera with artificial intelligence (AI), which can detect a patient’s fall in real time. If a fall is detected, the system automatically notifies the patient’s caregiver and provides access to an emergency helpline. This service is designed for use in skilled nursing communities or assisted living facilities.

Could Too Much Data Be Detrimental?

While wearable technology shows benefits for the aging population, the amount of data and notifications may be overwhelming for some patients. “Wearable technologies for monitoring and accident detection absolutely have a place in helping older adults age in place, but there are considerations in line with the idea of ‘right person-right technology,’” Norman says.

Revisiting the example above related to the patient with the high blood pressure, receiving too much data might be detrimental to the patient depending on other comorbidities. Imagine the patient is easily anxious for several reasons, and they’re eating a meal with too much salt in it. The wearable pings the patient’s smartphone to alert them that their blood pressure is passing a certain threshold. If the patient becomes anxious at the news that their blood pressure is high, their blood pressure may elevate higher because of the stress.

Technology has shown promise in providing optimal care and allowing those who can to age in place, but finding the right devices for your patients will be more beneficial in the long run. Other factors need to be evaluated beyond if the patient has a stable internet connection. These factors include if the older patient consents to using the technology, are they tech-savvy to use the device correctly (or at all), and what support system is in place around the patient as they age.

“Technology absolutely has a role in older adult care, but mindfully – just as with any other intervention design to help,” Norman adds.