When patients bring their own data, does it clarify care or complicate it?

Today’s patients are armed with more data than ever, as devices like smartwatches, Oura rings, and sleep trackers become commonplace.

Patient-generated health data has become a routine part of clinical conversations, offering a window into what happens outside the exam room. But while access to this information is expanding rapidly, its role in diagnosis and treatment decisions remains nuanced.

On Healthcasts, clinicians are weighing how to balance engagement and insight with accuracy, validation, and clinical responsibility, raising an important question: when does patient-generated data meaningfully support care, and when does it simply add noise?

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Key takeaways about using patient-generated health data:   

• A tool for context, not clinical decisions
  Data from home devices helps engage patients and frame conversations, but clinicians don’t rely on it alone for diagnosis or treatment decisions.
  
• Trust hinges on reliability, verification, and proper documentation
  Clinicians are open to incorporating patient-generated data only when accuracy can be confirmed—through calibration, cross-checking with in-office readings, or using approved devices.
  
• The value varies by condition, and misuse can create unintended harm
  Patient-generated data is most impactful in chronic disease management, cardiovascular monitoring, and sleep-related conditions, where trends over time matter. However, unnecessary or poorly understood monitoring can increase patient anxiety. 
  

Cardiology

"I try to incorporate it as it's a way to engage the patient, regardless of accuracy. Most patients are using devices for sleep monitoring, heart rate, and blood pressure. I don't base treatment decisions on the data, but I do use it as a point of discussion."

Nurse Practitioners

"We do try to incorporate this into our data and plan of care; however, you do have to ensure the equipment is working properly and double-check things to ensure it's calibrated correctly. The pharmacy can also do this at times to assist."

Oncology/Hematology

"I haven't had patients do this yet, actually. And if they did, I'm not sure it would meaningfully impact their cancer care. Maybe if they showed me actigraphy data about them being very highly functional or minimally functional, it could impact treatment intensity/options."

Family Practice

"I incorporate the information into the patient record as 'self-reported'. I think it's important to have some data tracked outside of the office as long as the data appears valid and reliable. It can provide a good 'overall' picture, although clearly I rely more heavily on in-office and laboratory data."

Hospitalist

"This is very important to chronic disease management and minimizing the risks of clinical inertia, waiting for a patient to return to the office for management. However, the data needs to be interoperable, reliable, and valid to be successful."

Family Practice

"I find it useful mostly in the realm of heart rate. If they are always tachycardic at the office but wear an Apple Watch or something similar with a normal resting day to day, and I can verify that the current reading is accurate, we can avoid additional testing for elevated HR!"

Pulmonolgy

"I typically will write free-text comments such as, 'patient reports oxygen saturations with exercise' or 'blood pressure readings at home range between c and y.' I have no way of verifying the data's accuracy, so it remains as self-reported data unless it is from the device that I have provided to them and is approved for that purpose."

Dermatology

"I have noticed these devices causing more anxiety at home due to possible arrhythmias or AFib. However, the patient is unable to diagnose, so they tend to spiral out of control with anxiety, which can lead to more abnormal heartbeats, etc. I think it is best only to monitor when necessary to stop unnecessary stress on patients who don't really know what they are looking at."

Pulmonolgy

"I use the information from OTC health monitors as a good starting point to evaluate their sleep and usually undiagnosed OSA. These devices frequently show cyclic desaturations, which are correlated with REM sleep obstructive events. I then get a lab or home PSG for an official diagnosis."

Internal Medicine

"I think it helps when patients come in for elevated blood pressure, and comparing their data with the clinic really helps in that they are not shocked...they are prepared for the information."

How would you approach treating a patient who relies on health data generated from personal devices? Share your perspective and read all of the comments on the post on Healthcasts.