Studies show that remote monitoring services and wearable health technology can reduce care costs for patients and the healthcare system while improving patient outcomes and engagement. The Connected Health Initiative (CHI) strongly believes in the promise of digital health to help improve health equity and access and recently hosted a webinar focused on the importance of remote patient monitoring and wearable health technology for the continued improvement of health outcomes. The discussion featured insights from leaders across health tech and advocacy organizations, including:

  • Robert Longyear, Founder of Avenue Health
  • Claudia Téllez, Executive Director of the Medical Society of Northern Virginia
  • Sarah Pincus, Health Policy Manager at Breakthrough T1D
  • Dr. Lauren Cheung, Physician at Apple

Check out the full recording here or see below for a recap of our conversation!

Panel Recap

Representing a wide range of health industry experience, the panelists shared insights into challenges and opportunities in using technology to improve health equity. Robert Longyear emphasized the importance of multi-function devices for many chronic disease patients, noting that people in his programs who have hypertension often face comorbidities like COPD or diabetes. Unfortunately, there is only sufficient funding to supply one device per patient, meaning that patients must purchase another device themselves or elect not to monitor their other conditions.

Sarah Pincus underscored the barriers faced by patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) when trying to purchase wearable continuous glucose monitors and insulin pumps, including the lack of reliable insurance coverage. Both Robert and Sarah highlighted how H.R. 6279, the Wearable Equipment Adoption and Reinforcement and Investment in Technology (WEAR IT) Act, would help the patients they work with more easily access key wearable health technology.

Dr. Cheung showcased the many facets of health data tracking available on Apple devices, including heart rate monitoring on the Apple Watch and the new hearing test and hearing aid features in the AirPod Pro 2. She noted that these devices can be more affordable than legacy devices like traditional hearing aids, which helps improve healthcare access and equity.

Claudia shared perspectives from physicians in the Medical Society of Northern Virginia who are considering health access and equity in their work, especially given the wide range of income levels in the Northern Virginia area. She emphasized that improving health equity means pursuing policy changes like removing the 20 percent copay required by Medicare for healthcare appointments and continuing Medicare beneficiaries’ access to things like remote patient monitoring. This type of care often involves a wearable health device and allows health providers to better understand patients’ needs for their healthcare. All our panelists agreed that as the system moves toward a value-based model, policymakers must support better access to wearable devices and associated software to achieve both reduced costs and better results for patients.

In Conclusion

Wearable health technology isn’t just a tool—it’s a bridge to a more equitable healthcare system. As healthcare moves toward a value-based model, policymakers must prioritize legislation like the WEAR IT Act to ensure that patients, especially those in underserved communities, have access to these life-changing tools. By addressing gaps in affordability, coverage, and access, we can empower patients and providers alike to achieve better health outcomes while reducing costs for everyone.