In this episode of the Chief Healthcare Officer Podcast, host Dr. Fatih engages with João Bocas, CEO of Digital Salutem and a digital health influencer, to explore the evolution and future of wearable technology in healthcare. They discuss João's journey from sports to corporate wellness, highlighting the early days of pedometers and the transition to more sophisticated wearables like smartwatches and fitness trackers. The conversation delves into the various types of wearables available today, including smart rings, patches, and even smart clothing, emphasizing their potential to revolutionize patient monitoring and engagement in healthcare settings.
Wearables are evolving from consumer fitness devices into clinically relevant health tools
The main barrier to adoption is healthcare systems and workflows, not the technology itself
Continuous, real-world health data offers far more insight than occasional clinical check-ups
Data integration with existing hospital and EHR systems remains the biggest bottleneck
Clinician trust and validation are essential for wearables to be used in medical decision-making
Regulation and reimbursement models must adapt for large-scale adoption to happen
Wearables are especially powerful for chronic disease management and preventive care
AI plays a critical role in turning raw wearable data into actionable clinical insights
Patient engagement improves when individuals can see and understand their own health data
The future of healthcare will increasingly move from hospitals to homes through connected devices
