What Clinicians Should Tell Patients About Wearable Devices and Data Privacy: A Narrative Review

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Health Informatics
• Cybersecurity

Background:

• The proliferation of wearable medical devices like fitness trackers and smartwatches generates vast amounts of people-generated health data (PGHD).
• These devices offer continuous, real-world data streams, potentially advancing medical science and enabling a connected healthcare system.
• However, the increasing use of these technologies raises significant concerns regarding data security, privacy, and confidentiality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the potential benefits of PGHD for medical research and connected healthcare.
• To address the emerging cybersecurity and privacy risks associated with wearable medical devices.
• To inform clinicians about the security vulnerabilities and data handling practices of these devices.

Main Methods:

• Review of current trends in wearable medical device technology and PGHD generation.
• Analysis of data security, privacy, and confidentiality issues inherent in these systems.
• Discussion of the implications of lax cybersecurity for users and healthcare applications.

Main Results:

• Wearable devices collect extensive real-world health data, offering significant potential for medical science.
• Existing cybersecurity measures for wearables are often inadequate, leaving data vulnerable to breaches and re-identification.
• Users may be unaware that their health data can be transmitted, stored, or sold without explicit consent.
• Data breaches can lead to identity theft, even without re-identification of anonymized data.

Conclusions:

• Clinicians must educate patients on the risks and benefits of wearable devices, including data security concerns.
• Enhanced security measures are crucial for protecting PGHD, especially for telehealth and AI-driven healthcare applications.
• Addressing the cybersecurity vulnerabilities of wearable technology is essential for realizing the full potential of a connected healthcare system.