Wearable sensors with possibilities for data exchange: Analyzing status and needs of different actors in mobile health monitoring systems

• Published in: International journal of medical informatics (Shannon, Ireland) Ireland), 2020-01, Vol.133, p.104017-104017, Article 104017
• Main Authors: Muzny, Miroslav, Henriksen, Andre, Giordanengo, Alain, Muzik, Jan, Grøttland, Astrid, Blixgård, Håvard, Hartvigsen, Gunnar, Årsand, Eirik
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Data exchange; Delivery of Health Care; EHR; Health data aggregators; Health monitoring; Humans; mHealth; Mobile Applications; pHR; Sensors; Telemedicine; Wearable device; Wearable Electronic Devices
• ISSN: 1386-5056; 1872-8243
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijmedinf.2019.104017

•Few wearable devices support transfer of data via local wired or wireless connection•Access to data is often disabled due to missing verification of data prediction models or unsatisfactory regulatory requirements•Only a small number of devices have been CE marked (class II or above) or are FDA approved•A relatively small percentage of devices support smartphone health platforms for import of user-captured data Wearable devices with an ability to collect various type of physiological data are increasingly becoming seamlessly integrated into everyday life of people. In the area of electronic health (eHealth), many of these devices provide remote transfer of health data, as a result of the increasing need for ambulatory monitoring of patients. This has a potential to reduce the cost of care due to prevention and early detection. The objective of this study was to provide an overview of available wearable sensor systems with data exchange possibilities. Due to the heterogeneous capabilities these systems possess today, we aimed to systematize this in terms of usage, where there is a need of, or users benefit from, transferring self-collected data to health care actors. We searched for and reviewed relevant sensor systems (i.e., devices) and mapped these into 13 selected attributes related to data-exchange capabilities. We collected data from the Vandrico database of wearable devices, and complemented the information with an additional internet search. We classified the following attributes of devices: type, communication interfaces, data protocols, smartphone/PC integration, connection to smartphone health platforms, 3rd party integration with health platforms, connection to health care system/middleware, type of gathered health data, integrated sensors, medical device certification, access to user data, developer-access to device, and market status. Devices from the same manufacturer with similar functionalities/characteristics were identified under the same device family. Furthermore, we classified the systems in three subgroups of relevance for different actors in mobile health monitoring systems: EHR providers, software developers, and patient users. We identified 362 different mobile health monitoring devices belonging to 193 device families. Based on an analysis of these systems, we identified the following general challenges: •Few systems have a Conformité Européene (CE) marking class II or above, or approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (