Wearable Technologies: Potential Benefits and Challenges in Clinical Decision-Making

What GAO Found Wearable devices (wearables) with health-related features have the potential to be used in clinical decision-making (see figure). Wearables can be either medical or wellness devices, and their features can be augmented by artificial intelligence (AI). Wearables use sensors to track vital signs and establish patient health baselines; alert users, caregivers, or clinicians of medical events or suggested lifestyle changes; and provide additional assessments of user data that can be sent to a clinician for interpretation.