CTA and HRS to Release Consumer Guidance on Wearable Devices at CES 2020

The Consumer Technology Association (CTA) and the Heart Rhythm Society (HRS) will release a unique digital health guidance document for consumers. The document, which will be presented for the first time on January 9, 2020 during a panel session at CES 2020, as part of the Disruptive Innovations in Health Care Conference track, focuses on wearables that detect and monitor cardiovascular biometrics.

The CTA/HRS Guidance for Wearable Health Solutions document includes recommended best practices for consumers who use wearables and was reviewed by physicians, nurses, patient advocates, technology companies and health care organizations.

“Digital health is changing lives for the better — providing personalized care and lowering costs,” said Lesley Rohrbaugh, director of market research, CTA. “Wearable devices are one of the fastest growing sectors in tech and as more consumers capture more personal health information with wearables, a cross industry-created guidance document has never been more important.”

According to HRS President, Dr. Andrea Russo, “the collaboration between HRS and CTA is timely and important for both consumers and clinicians. Chronic diseases are increasing in prevalence and wearables help people monitor their health to aid in earlier diagnosis; furthermore, they provide information to the user that fosters a healthier lifestyle.

Dr. Nassir Marrouche, lead author, added, “In this document, we aimed to highlight this new intersection between consumer tech and health. We want people to be aware of what these wearables have to offer, how they can increase knowledge about one’s health, and how clinicians are optimistic about the data wearables can deliver.”

The guidance document includes an overview of the wearables landscape, offers advice for consumers who are considering wearables, and a robust FAQ that tackles topics like what to do with the data and when to contact a doctor.

CTA projects total digital health devices — such as smartwatches, fitness trackers and blood pressure monitors — will reach $10 billion in revenue in 2020 (up by 16% over last year).

The digital health presence at CES jumped by 25% in 2020 with notable exhibitors such as Abbott, Cigna, Humana, Omron Healthcare, Myant, Philips, Procter & Gamble and Samsung.

The CTA/HRS Guidance for Wearable Health Solutions document will be available for download starting January 9th at www.CTA.tech/research and www.HRSonline.org/CTA-HRS.