Payers Look for New Ways to Harness Wearables as Apple Launches ECG Device

From Health Plan Weekly

On Sept. 12, Apple Inc. made waves in the medical community by revealing that its latest model of Apple Watch will soon allow users to take an electrocardiogram (ECG) that can be used to detect irregular heart rhythms.

The Apple Watch Series 4 sports three new heart-related features, Apple Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams said during the company's unveiling of its next generation of devices. Using the device's optical sensor, the watch will notify users if it detects a heart rate that's too low, and it will also screen users' heart rhythm in the background and send them a notification if it detects an irregular rhythm that appears to be atrial fibrillation (AFib). Users will also be able to take their own ECG.

According to Michael Abrams, managing partner at Numerof & Associates, "to the extent that wearables serve to give early warning of conditions — like AFib for example — that could turn out to be a plus for insurers in terms of saving downstream costs on treatment by alerting people that they have a condition like AFib that needs to be treated."

Yet he says he worries that the Apple Watch could produce more false positives than true cases of people with an undiagnosed condition — a situation that can lead to unnecessary treatment and costs.

There are other issues insurers must contend with as they embrace consumer-grade wearables, says Vaughn Kauffman, U.S. health services and new entrants advisory leader at PwC. PwC's research has indicated that sustainable adoption is elusive, as usage of wearable devices drops off significantly about six months after consumers start using them.

Further, it's been challenging to demonstrate to consumers how data they provide to their insurer or employer is being used to benefit them.

Finally, "it's one thing to have the data, it’s another thing to create interventions," he says, pointing out that providers still have concerns about acting on data that’s collected in a non-clinical setting.

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