Ambulatory health IT vendor eClinicalWorks can now integrate fitness trackers and other wearables data into its subsidiary healow (health and Online Wellness) patient portal product.
The initiative, announced March 27, will enable consumers to include this data "seamlessly" into their personal health records (PHRs) via healow.com and mobile apps and track their activities and other habits. Several of the industry's leading wearables and fitness trackers have joined up, including Fitbit, Jawbone, Withings and ihealth.
Enabling consumers to add patient-generated electronic data to their PHR and their physicians' EHRs is a growing trend. Cerner and digital health platform Validic also recently joined forces to offer the same ability to consumers via Cerner's wellness portal.
Consumers, with permission, can have the information automatically loaded into their physician's EHR system to help clinicians monitor the health of their patients and identify specific changes. Increased patient engagement, of course, is a major component of the Meaningful Use program and of the proposed rules implementing Stage 3.
"A more informed patient is generally a healthier one," Girish Navani, CEO and co-founder of eClinicalWorks, said in the announcement. "By giving consumers a single place to view their health records along with device and tracker data, it simplifies managing this information while keeping the quarterback of care, their physician, in the loop. Giving physicians a better informed idea of patient activities throughout the year can dramatically improve recommendations and outcomes."
To learn more:
- read the announcement