Let’s face it: most of us are tethered to our devices, literally always connected via Apple Watches, Fitbits, and other wearable technology. Although there are downsides to being tied to technology, devices that collect health-related information have potential to be useful for monitoring a person’s health and coordinating care with their provider.
For instance, recent versions of the Apple Watch have a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved app (Class II) that can measure a person’s sleep patterns and identify whether they likely have sleep apnea. Although Apple promoted this feature and news outlets covered its launch, no official source informed Canadian healthcare providers about this resource.
While I often advocate for physicians to stay updated on new technologies, I only became aware of Apple’s sleep apnea app because of personal circumstances and was only aware of the possible benefits touted by the media coverage, with no guidance around the possible harms.
Awareness gap and physician burnout: The need for guidelines around new health IT tools
The sleep apnea app is just one example of new technology that’s readily available but lacks clear guidelines for doctors to use in practice. It's worth noting that nowhere in the app’s promotion is it mentioned that the FDA classification is Class II, which indicates moderate to high risk.
With the quickly evolving world of health-related AI, it’s increasingly important for doctors to be knowledgable about the latest technologies. Yet, there’s currently no centralized resource or authority in Canada to ensure healthcare providers are aware of new technologies, how best to use them, and the risks and benefits of incorporating them into their practice. It’s up to individual physicians to stay informed — usually through conferences, online forums, trusted websites (such as OpenEvidence.com), social media, and newsletters (like Stat News and 4sight Health).
Between long clinical hours, high administrative burdens, and moral and financial stress, Canadian doctors are already under incredible strain and susceptible to burnout. It’s no wonder that many find it difficult to keep up with the constant stream of new health technologies available.
Mandatory physician education doesn’t emphasize new technologies
Doctors in Canada are required to complete 250 continuing medical education (CME) credits every five years, but nowhere in the Maintenance of Certification Framework from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (the authority on the matter) is it mentioned that any of those credits need to include education on new health-related technologies. Likewise, the organization’s current CanMEDS framework doesn’t mention incorporating new technologies into practice.
Physicians will undoubtedly learn about emerging and new technologies through conferences, courses, seminars, and readings they complete for their CME credits. However, because there’s no single source for disseminating information on new technologies, the learnings will vary greatly from physician to physician.
The possible benefits and pitfalls of using new technologies in medical practice
My discovery of the sleep apnea notification on the Apple Watch resulted in a tremendous amount of optimism and frustration. New technologies could change workflows and entire sectors in the Canadian healthcare system — whether validated or not.
Traditionally, to be diagnosed with sleep apnea, a person must see a general practitioner who then refers them to a sleep clinic. This process could take months. Once the appointment is scheduled, the person sleeps in the clinic for one night, gathering only about eight hours of sleep data in an artificial environment.
Compare this to the data that can be gathered from a wearable device that allows the person experiencing sleep issues to simply flip a switch on their watch, then live and sleep as they normally would. After collecting the individual’s sleep data in their regular environment for a month, the app will issue an alert if it has detected sleep apnea symptoms.
In a perfect world, the person’s doctor could then review the alert and data summary and proceed with a sleep study, incorporating a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. This approach would decrease the likelihood of negative sleep studies at the sleep clinic and expedite treatment of those with sleep apnea. However, we're not quite there yet.
Before applying new technologies to real-world situations, doctors need to be educated on their positive and negative predictive value. The lack of education or structure for understanding the implications of readily accessible but unvalidated technologies can lead to frustration for patients and clinicians — and treating patients based on their outputs could result in unnecessary treatment, expense, and even harm.
Clinical optimization through proper implementation of new healthcare technology
This is where clinical optimization from experienced and knowledgable health consultants comes in. At Healthtech, A Nordic Global Company, we've helped guide organizations to implement new, validated technologies that collect vital patient information, allowing care teams to provide more effective and efficient care.
For instance, as part of implementing a digital mental health resource for youth, Healthtech helped develop the patient access system and trained the therapists to ensure effective and patient-centred care.
With the proper guidance and tools, this approach could be applied to many different types of practices. For instance, diet clinics could use capillary blood glucose monitors, fitness trackers, and other devices to craft personalized, comprehensive patient care programs.
While there’s no central source for physicians and clinicians to learn about new health technologies, a strategic partner like Healthtech, whose consultants bring lessons learned and technical and clinical expertise to the table, can provide organizations with knowledge and training to ensure the technologies they’re using are validated and help optimize care. This is an exciting time in healthcare, and I look forward to continuing to learn about emerging technologies and helping others put them into practice.
Want to harness the power of technology to improve care quality and operational efficiency at your organization? Contact us today to explore how our end-to-end solutions and services can help you achieve your goals.