The Growth of Wearable Devices in Healthcare

What are Wearable Medical Devices? 

Wearable medical devices are designed to be worn on the body for the purpose of monitoring, diagnosing, or treating different medical conditions. These devices are typically equipped with electronics, sensors, and wireless connectivity capabilities to collect and transmit data about the patient’s health parameters.    

Benefits of Wearable Medical Devices 

Wearable medical devices are beneficial for both healthcare professionals (HCPs) and patients alike. For patients, these devices allow patients to take an active role in monitoring and managing their health. By providing real-time feedback of activity, vital signs, and other health parameters, wearable medical devices empower individuals to make informed decisions about their lifestyle, track their progress, and achieve health related goals. 

Early detection and prevention of potential health issues are another large feat of wearable medical devices. Continuous monitoring of health data can alert users and HCPs about any abnormal patterns or indicators allowing for timely intervention and proactive healthcare treatment. This is especially valuable for individuals with chronic conditions since wearable medical devices provide a constant stream of data for the management of their condition. 

For HCPs, wearable medical devices provide valuable data for personalized treatment and care. By collecting real-time data on the patient’s health parameters, HCPs gain a deeper understanding of patient conditions, and it can help them create informed plans for care. Data driven decisions enable more accurate diagnoses, optimized therapies, and improved patient outcomes. Wearable medical devices are advancing the overall efficiency of healthcare delivery. By automating data collection, these wearable devices streamline the process of gathering health information and reduce the burden on HCPs.  

Growth of Wearable Medical Devices 

Due to the growth of remote patient care, and increased use of Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), wearables are expected to play a significant role in the medical and healthcare sector. The healthcare industry is moving towards a more virtual approach, as patients are becoming more knowledgeable and advocating for their medical needs. Patients are embracing their role as consumers and in turn, creating a market for personalized healthcare. The growth of the wearable medical device sector is also driven by technological advances and the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases. Sensor technology advancement and development of miniaturized electronics create a perfect vessel for wearable medical devices. The demand for these devices has created a new sub industry that addresses issues such as rising healthcare costs, patients with chronic diseases, and accuracy of health data assessments.  

Examples of Wearable Medical Devices 

• Fitness trackers 
• Smart watches 
• Therapeutic devices (pain management devices, body-mounted sensors, etc.) 
• Blood pressure monitors 
• Wearable ECG monitors 
• Continuous glucose monitors (CGM) 
• Implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICD) 
• Wearable biosensors 
• Hearing aids 

Gilero’s Capabilities related to Wearable Technology 

Gilero specializes in end-to-end device design & development in the medical and pharmaceutical industries. From concept to commercialization, Gilero has experience designing and engineering innovative wearable products for the MedTech industry.  From embedded sensor prototyping to algorithm development, our team of skilled engineers can help from any point of the design process.