Digital Health: Mobile Devices, Wearables, Telehealth, Telemedicine
Preparing for her run, Susan tightened her fitness watch on her wrist. After experiencing and having received treatment for a heart arrhythmia, Susan was encouraged to wear the watch that not only would alert her if she experienced an irregular heartbeat, but the device would also report the findings to her medical team. Susan felt comfortable going on her run, knowing her device would monitor her heart.
Digital health has changed how patients monitor their health. These advancements have allowed patients to take an active role with increased control and agency over their healthcare and well-being. Digital health has also allowed patients to communicate with healthcare providers in different ways that help to facilitate ongoing, continuous, and real-time conversations that lead to data-informed treatment approaches and healthcare plans. Thus, these advancements have shifted and changed how healthcare is offered and practiced both for the patient and healthcare provider.
For this Discussion, you will explore the use of digital health in healthcare organizations and nursing practice. Reflect on the use, implementation, and the barriers for digital health and consider how these devices have changed, or will continue to change, healthcare organizations and nursing practice.
Resources
Be sure to review the Learning Resources before completing this activity.
Click the weekly resources link to access the resources.
Learning Resources
· Devi, D. H., Duraisamy, K., Armghan, A., Alsharari, M., Aliqab, K., Sorathiya, V., Das, S., & Rashid, N. (2023).
5G technology in healthcare and wearable devices: A reviewLinks to an external site..
Sensors (14248220) ,
23 (5), 2519.
· Raza, M. M., Venkatesh, K. P., & Kvedar, J. C. (2023).
Promoting racial equity in Digital Health: Applying a cross-disciplinary equity frameworkLinks to an external site..
Npj Digital Medicine, 6(1).
· Yang, X., Wang, X., Li, X., Gu, D., Liang, C., Li, K., Zhang, G., & Zhong, J. (2020).
Exploring emerging IoT technologies in smart health research: A knowledge graph analysisLinks to an external site..
BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 20 , 260.
· Wu, M., & Luo, J. (2019).
Wearable technology applications in healthcare: A literature review Links to an external site.
. HIMSS.
to an external site.
·
Document:
Sample Presentation Template (PowerPoint)
Download Sample Presentation Template (PowerPoint)
· ZEBRA Technologies. (n.d.).
The future of healthcare: 2022 Hospital vision study: Mobile technology elevates patient care, empowers clinicians and enhances workflows Links to an external site.
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To Prepare
· Review the Learning Resources associated with digital health.
· Consider the use, implementation, and barriers of digital health for healthcare organizations and nursing practice.
By Day 3 of Week 6
Post a cohesive response to the following:
· Choose one digital innovation (examples: telehealth, wearables, digital devices).
· What challenges and opportunities have arisen in your healthcare organization or nursing practice while adopting a digital innovation? Please share your experiences and any key insights from these implementations.
By Day 6 of Week 6
Read a selection of your colleagues’ responses and
respond to
at least two of your colleagues on
two different days. Expand upon your colleague’s posting or offer an alternative perspective on the use of digital health.
RESPOND TO THIS DISCUSSION POST
Michelle Ox
One digital innovation that has made a big impact in healthcare is telehealth. Telehealth allows nurses and doctors to connect with patients through video calls or phone calls instead of in-person visits. In my nursing practice, this became especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic. It helped us reach patients who couldn’t travel or were at risk of infection. It was a safe and convenient way to check on people with chronic illnesses, answer questions, and provide support.
The global adoption of telehealth has witnessed a significant upswing, driven not only by the need for remote healthcare access but also by the potential to enhance overall healthcare outcomes (Adeloduna & Anyanwub, 2025). Technology brings many opportunities for optimizing and improving health services, lack of professionals trained in telehealth poses important obstacles (Jacob et al., 2025). Not all patients have access to reliable internet or know how to use smartphones or computers. Some older adults often feel confused or nervous about video calls. As nurses, we had to be patient and help guide them through the process. Also, we can’t do hands-on physical exams through a screen, so sometimes we must rely more on what the patient states to us during follow-up visits.
Despite the challenges, telehealth has created many opportunities. It has improved access to care, especially for people in rural areas or with mobility issues. It also saved time for both patients and healthcare workers. One key insight I’ve learned is the importance of clear communication. We need to speak slowly, explain steps clearly, and check for understanding. Overall, telehealth has become a valuable tool that continues to shape the future of nursing care.
References:
Adeloduna, M. O., & Anyanwub, E. C. (2025). Telehealth implementation: a review of project management practices and outcomes.
Jacob, M. F. A., Fandim, J. V., Reis, F. J., Hartvigsen, J., Ferreira, P. H., & Saragiotto, B. T. (2025). Defining core competencies for telehealth in healthcare higher education: A Delphi study.
Musculoskeletal Science and Practice,
75, 103244.
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