Digital Health Ecosystems in a Wearable Health Tech Supernova

Remember when the Fitbit first came out? You probably do. Once the device hit shelves in 2009, Fitbit quickly became part of the cultural zeitgeist. The phrases “getting your steps in” and “hitting 10,000” filled small talk, and admittingly, the firework celebration for schlepping around all day did offer some weird sense of accomplishment. Fast-forwarding 15 years, Fitbits’ technology seems stone age-y compared to today — and it is — but the new normal of monitoring our wellness through digital health ecosystems was set in that stone. 

According to a Health Information National Trends Survey, which was published by the National Institutes of Health, almost one in three American adults wore a health-tracking device in 2023. Globally, it’s estimated that around 543 million health-monitoring wearables were sold in 2024. This number is expected to almost double by 2029, and by 2033, researchers forecast that the global wearable fitness tracker market will be worth $352 billion. (For reference, the current market is around $60 billion). Fireworks, indeed.

There’s no denying that the convergence of biomarkers and wearable technology is revolutionizing how we approach health and wellness. As technology continues to advance, individuals and healthcare professionals will continue to find new ways to monitor, track, and manage health in real-time.

This shift toward personalized, data-driven healthcare promises to empower individuals to take control of their own health like never before. However, accessing your digital health ecosystem isn’t the same as owning your health data. If the software and hardware of wearable health tech are worth $352 billion in five years, then your health data could be worth trillions. 

Understanding Biomarkers, Wearable Technology, and Digital Health Ecosystems

Biomarkers are measurable indicators of biological processes or conditions in the body. Think blood pressure, glucose levels, and heart rate. Even your voice’s pitch and cadence can indicate certain conditions, such as depression and early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. When used in a clinical setting, this patient data can provide valuable insights into the health status of an individual, as well as help healthcare providers diagnose diseases, track disease progression, and evaluate treatment responses.

Wearable technology includes devices that individuals can wear on their bodies to monitor various physiological metrics. These devices range from smart rings and smartwatches to smart clothing that can track muscle activity and posture. The biodata data collected by these wearables can provide real-time insights into health and wellness, often using advanced sensors and algorithms.

This collected biodata then becomes part of a person’s digital health ecosystem, which can provide a comprehensive and dynamic picture of an individual’s health. For instance, the various wellness apps connected to wearable devices can be considered a digital health ecosystem. As the popularity and adoption of health technology grows, this holistic view of a person’s health may allow clinicians to provide more precise and effective healthcare interventions.

Benefits of a Digital Transformation in Healthcare

In the not-so-distant future, the integration of biomarkers and wearable devices may become an integral part of routine healthcare. And for good reason! If we utilize these digital solutions in a more “plugged-in” and data-driven health system, it should lead to a more proactive, efficient, and patient-centered approach to wellness and disease management.

This could be especially true on a societal level if we allow artificial intelligence to sort through big data, continually advancing the precision and effectiveness of digital health solutions. But whether you frame it in terms of patient care or societal wellness, the following seven benefits of integrating biomarkers in a digital ecosystem could revolutionize the entire healthcare industry.

1. Early Detection and Prevention of Diseases

One of the most significant advantages of wearable technology that tracks biomarkers is its ability to detect health issues before they become too serious. For example, wearable devices that track heart rate variability, skin temperature, and oxygen levels can help identify early signs of conditions like arrhythmias, sleep apnea, or even respiratory infections. Similarly, biomarkers that track elevated blood glucose levels, C-reactive protein (CRP) for inflammation, and high cholesterol could indicate the onset of cardiovascular disease.

2. Personalized Healthcare

The era of “one-size-fits-all” medicine is coming to an end, and digital technology is at the forefront of this transformation. Every individual is unique, and by continuously monitoring biomarkers through wearables, healthcare professionals can tailor treatment plans to suit specific needs for better health outcomes.

For example, wearable devices that track heart rate, activity levels, and sleep patterns can provide doctors with detailed information on how a patient’s lifestyle is impacting their health. This data, when stored in a digital ecosystem owned by the patient, can help clinicians identify which treatments, medications, or lifestyle changes are most effective for the individual. Depending on the digital infrastructure, clinicians may also consider the patient’s genetic makeup, their environment, and other considerations that aren’t typically included in traditional electronic health records.

3. Chronic Disease Management

Wearable technology is particularly valuable for managing chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease. Continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) allow individuals with diabetes to track their blood sugar levels in real-time, helping them make immediate adjustments to their diet, exercise, or insulin dosage. Similarly, wearable ECG monitors can track heart rhythms, helping patients with cardiovascular conditions or arrhythmias manage their conditions.

By providing continuous, real-time data, wearable devices help people with chronic conditions stay on top of their health. This reduces the likelihood of hospitalizations (saving the healthcare industry insane amounts of money) and improves overall quality of life.

4. Better Decision-Making and Data-Driven Insights

Wearable technology generates a vast amount of data, which can be analyzed algorithmically to provide valuable insights for both individuals and healthcare professionals. This is especially true when you incorporate powerful artificial intelligence into digital health ecosystems.

Collecting biomarkers through wearable technology allows for more accurate, data-driven decision-making. For instance, a person tracking their sleep patterns with a biomarker ring may notice correlations between poor sleep and elevated stress levels, which can be verified through cortisol or heart rate variability. Overall, with continuous monitoring, individuals are empowered to make proactive decisions about their health.

5. Enhanced Wellness and Preventive Healthcare

Currently, the healthcare industry employs a more “sickcare” than healthcare approach. However, new digital healthcare solutions can help facilitate a healthcare ecosystem that focuses more on preventative care. Of course, as in the case of Fitbit and other early models, wearable devices were initially designed to track fitness and wellness metrics, such as step count, heart rate, and calories burned. However, this technology has evolved exponentially! And will continue to.

New wearable tech includes a range of advanced features, from stress monitoring and blood oxygen levels to temperature monitoring and more. Someone looking to optimize their fitness regime can now track their heart rate and lactate threshold. Similarly, wellness-minded individuals can track changes in biomarkers like Vitamin D, vitamin B12, or magnesium levels, helping them to optimize nutrition.

6. Improved Patient Engagement and Treatment Adherence

One of the key challenges in healthcare is ensuring that patients adhere to their treatment plans, medications, and lifestyle recommendations. Digital health technologies provide a way for patients to monitor their progress toward health goals and receive real-time feedback on their efforts (Fireworks!). This ongoing interaction can increase motivation, improve compliance, and foster a sense of accountability.

A person with hypertension who wears a blood pressure monitor may be more likely to stick to a prescribed exercise regimen or medication because they can see the direct impact of their actions on health metrics. This continuous feedback loop not only increases patient engagement but also strengthens the relationship between patients and healthcare providers, fostering a more collaborative approach to health management.

7. Data Sharing and Remote Monitoring

The ability to share biometric and wearable data with healthcare providers in real time has significant implications for remote patient monitoring and telehealth. If a patient chooses to share their biodata with a digital healthcare ecosystem (we’re big on patient-owned data), a healthcare provider could monitor their patients’ health continuously. This would be extremely beneficial for elderly individuals and those who may have difficulty attending in-person appointments.

Remote monitoring can also improve patient outcomes by allowing doctors to intervene early if they detect concerning trends, such as a rise in blood pressure or heart rate. This level of monitoring serves as a safety net for both patients and doctors, reducing the need for frequent in-person visits.

The Risk of Blurring Personal and Medical Data in Digital Health Ecosystems

Philosophically, legally, and technically, it could be difficult to demarcate biodata collected in a digital ecosystem. What actually is personal lifestyle data? What’s actually medical data? This answer may depend on the motive. While electronic health records fall under HIPAA and other privacy laws, personal lifestyle data could be sold to the highest bidder. When consumers share their data with third-party apps or companies, they often give up control over how their information is stored, used, and shared. And this is where DeSci can play an incredibly important (and protective) role!

For example, AxonDAO — a leading voice in the DeSci space — prioritizes individual data ownership as one of its guiding principles. It’s currently combining its own wearable health tech, the CureRing, with its own digital infrastructure called CureOS. By doing so, AxonDAO is ensuring participants own their biodata. People can choose to share this info with doctors, participate in research studies, sell their data to a marketing research firm, or keep their biodata private for their own health monitoring. Point is, in this new ecosystem, individuals can retain sovereignty over their own body’s info.

Harvesting and selling user data to the highest bidder and third-party data brokerages has been the guiding business model for many giant tech entities. However, as wearables and biomarkers become more integrated into the healthcare system and society writ large, it is essential to address issues like data ownership, patient consent, and the appropriate use of personal health information.

As the technology continues to evolve, we can expect even more innovative applications that improve health outcomes and reduce the burden on healthcare systems. And that’s fantastic. But, again, following the trajectory of this wearable health tech supernova, your data could be worth trillions very soon, and data firms will assuredly fight, grapple, and grab for this data in the swirling money booth. Supernovas are explosive, impressive, and cosmically violent. But if DeSci follows its principled North Star, the movement can help people retain their own data and its inherent worth, allowing individuals to buy their own piece of space.