Real-time monitoring shows its benefits

Image Credit: Mashable

Image Credit: Mashable

Usually, to confirm a sick sinus syndrome diagnosis, a patient has to wear a heart monitor for a week to gather data. Moreover, a correct self-diagnosis by reading information on the internet is rare. And doctors usually don’t accept data from a device that hasn’t been clinically validated, because the data may be spurious.
At the hospital, Eric Topol—a cardiologist and a proponent of digital health—checked Robson’s claim with a medical-grade heart monitor. “I was watching my heart rate on my watch while they were watching on a medical-grade monitor, and they synched up,” according to Robson. Topol decided that Robson was indeed suffering from the syndrome.

From Quartz.

I love these stories. Yes, we may use our always-on-us devices frequently just to check latest news/status/event/weather, but there's definite and huge potential for greater support from the same devices going forward. As always, exciting times!

Neal McQuaid