Recap: Scaling the Self-Tracking Movement

Recap: Scaling the Self-Tracking Movement -

Background: Scaling Auto-Tracking Movement

October 5, 2015 by MHA staff @GW

now that more than a third of American adults own a mobile device, it is important to examine how this technology will evolve. How can we use self-generated data to improve health outcomes for ourselves but also for our communities? In August, MHA @ GW organized a live Google Hangout on the future of mobile technology regarding health

There were a number of topics -. Including how consumers use mobile devices, what kinds of socioeconomic barriers are inhibiting access to them and what needs to change in order to transform the movement of individual self-monitoring in one in which health outcomes of the population are improved.

The Panel

Pierre Vigilance, MD, MPH, moderated the discussion. He is the associate dean for practice of Public Health and associate professor of global health at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University. . A leader in the practice of public health, management and education, he has over 20 years experience in the health and well-being

The four panelists joined Dr. Vigilance

• Blair Palmer. The laboratory leader for innovation UNICEF in San Francisco, she graduated from Vanderbilt University. Palmer holds a Masters in Public Health from Yale University, and was recently included in the list of Dell # Inspire100 world changers in entrepreneurship, philanthropy, education and media using technology to stimulate and inspire others.
• Jacqueline Fellows. An award winning journalist and editor with HealthLeaders Media, his weekly column on medical leadership focuses on the particular problems faced by doctors in hospitals, health systems and group practices. It also contributes a monthly business based on service lines to the review of the hospital.
• Autumn Saxton-Ross Dr. The program director of the place-based initiatives for the National Collective for Health Equity (NCHE) she holds degrees in sociology, health education and exercise science. His research, academic and professional interests are in the social and physical environment and their influences on health behaviors
• Teresa Wang Research and Strategy Director at Rock Health - .. full service seed fund that supports the start of digital health care - she graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in the program of science and Vagelos life management with a bachelor of arts in biology and a bachelor of science in economics with a concentration in management and health care policy [

Key Takeaways

• meaningful use is the key . This does not refer to the "meaningful use" typical of the electronic health record (EHR), but rather, which makes the data useful for the individual or the vendor that tapping into it.

  collecting data just isn 't enough, consumers and health care providers need analyzes that help to make sense of what has been collected. This includes the ability to take disparate data from a variety of sources and integrate it to influence the results. Palmer stressed this fact.

  "It is looking beyond self quantified ... and really look at how you qualify then that data," she said. "What data are significant, and how did you make it meaningful to show really improve health outcomes?"

• A solid infrastructure is necessary. This is about much more than portable devices and the ability to capture data within them -. analysis and value creation are needed both

  For example, fellows cited the current environment in which health care providers are adapting to changes in models payment, as a place where this data could make a difference.

  "I speak to C-Suite leaders of health care organizations and hospitals, and physician groups and specialized groups. and what they are struggling to do is spend one to a world based on the value based on the volume, "she said." The health of the population is a big part of that. There are some organizations who do a good job. But overall, the infrastructure is not really there to support dynamically as it should be. "

• patients and providers need to be engaged. Fellows also said that, in addition to creating closer links with patients through the use of technology to improve health, we need to include doctors, too.

  "Although these technologies are coming along, doctors must also be able to engage with them and use them in a meaningful way with their patients," she said. "You to make it easier for patients, but I think you have to make it easy for doctors, too. "

  The technology should be available to address health disparities. This includes affordability, education and reliable telecommunications systems within the various socio-economic populations and rural areas. Saxton-Ross underscored the challenge that may exist in communities that are not traditionally oriented towards supporting health-promoting behaviors and prevention.

  "How can we make these things happen simultaneously, so we don 't, again, see this fracture each with the technology, but not everyone who these behaviors? "she said. "Or, recognizing that these behaviors have not really been a part of culture or are not supported for individuals to take advantage of these opportunities?"

• Wearables can make a big difference in the developing world This will happen most effectively making it the most readily available technologies -. such as smartphones. By integrating into existing services and infrastructure, improving service life and life existing savings can be delivered.

  Palmer said UNICEF works with these solutions through its Wearables for Good Challenge, which includes a casebook for those interested in the development wearables for social good.

  "It goes through the different areas of intervention of the way you do just that, and looking at the design constraints that would be needed in these last mile parameters So, how to achieve this mother needs to have prenatal care before she has her baby? "she said. "We consider these types of solutions you are not only thinking about the user. - You talk about the user, but you are also watching the local context"

• multiple points and tactile consistency are needed to promote healthy behaviors in communities throughout the system -. including socio-economic and cultural factors - must be considered. Saxton-Ross said that the creation of better ways of including more than one item unique influence.

  "If we think of all the systems that people engage with it are all possibilities to help the commitment," she said. "So, as technology develops ... How can we use these systems ... as opportunities to promote these beneficial health behaviors?"

• There is more than one way to create change. There are many ways in which data collection can make a difference, such as social media, online communities and smart cities in which digital technologies is used to better communicate with citizens, improve efficiency and improve quality. in addition, alert and response community systems can be used to treat epidemics, disasters and other emergencies.

  when asked if she knew particularly innovative or interesting ways that people were incentives or by the device itself or by other methods, Saxton-Ross spoke of how the amount of money that is generated by private device companies could be reinvested to improve the health of the population in a variety of ways.

  "If we think that money and how it can revert back to communities through philanthropy and really help, this is a great opportunity that can help communities get to the root of these problems. .. we can all pick up that bag, "she said.

• generation gaps exist . Wearables that are not related to traditional health care is more to reach the younger crowd. Wang noted that due to the use of an electronic angle increases consumer access to better health for individuals and creates momentum for it to happen. However, mobile technology also shows the gap between the generations in terms of how the data is used.

  "Because wearables are consumer electronics, you see a generation gap," she said. "The young or the young generations are much more comfortable to share their data and are much less concerned about what their data is used to. "

• History questions. Those who have had negative experiences with the technology, the use of their data - or both - may be resistant to create deeper connections through its use. It is therefore essential that accurate education be provided to users - including consumers, patients and providers. They want to know things like data ownership, privacy, and security - especially at a time when security breaches and sale of data to third parties is becoming more widespread. Provide transparency on how these things are dealt with and avoided go a long way toward building trust.

Consider the future

Improvements in technology are creating new opportunities to move beyond wearables fitness tracking to affect health in new ways. However, in order to improve results, increase access, commitment, trust and meaningful use of data will be achieved. The goal here is not to reach conclusions on the future of wearables, but provoke further discussion on issues related to the merger of technology, data and health because he saw beyond of the individual and in the general population.

How about you? What is your perspective on the evolution of the mobile health? How do you use mobile technology to improve your own health or the health of your community? What are the obstacles to progress exist in the use of mobile technologies in health care? What ingredients do we need to create sustainable solutions?