the algorithms that make sense of your health data - smart tech

The theme of this series was developed by New scientists and Philips, who paid for their products. In the face of reality, we are a country obsessed with health.
Earlier this year, Philips Health Pictures reported a healthy attitude among more than 2000 people in the UK.
The study found that one in every ten people now actively tracks and manages their health through connected devices, such as wearable technology, smartphones or apps.
Some of them said that this led to positive changes in habits, such as improving exercise levels or improving diet.
The market value of health trackers and wearable devices is expected to exceed $53 billion by 2019.
Even those who don't use these devices are increasingly turning to the Internet and other health sources --
Relevant information.
This poses a major challenge.
"The problem is that now people have access to so much information, but not all of it helps," said Richard Waterley, vice chairman of the General Practitioner Committee of the British Medical Association.
Assessing this mountain of information is tricky because there is little guidance on when to worry and when to stay calm.
"The problem is that people can get so much information today, but not all of it helps," people who are religiously dressed in smart technology can get themselves into trouble.
"These people may cause problems for the time we already have --
"Press the GPs," Vautrey said.
"If people increasingly monitor all aspects of their health, such as their blood pressure, and some data points that are out of the normal range, they may be worried and go to the doctor.
But doctors may be much more relaxed about this change.
So while new wearable technologies provide data, people are also trying to make it meaningful.
What is needed is scientific sound measurement and the same sound analysis.
"What we need to do is connect these points to have a positive impact on health," says Liat Ben.
Zur, digital technology director, Philips.
For example, one device may record your blood sugar levels, the second store your calorie intake, and the third store information about your family history of heart disease-perhaps your official medical record.
The data needs to be combined in a meaningful way, she said.
This is the approach Philips is taking. Ben-
Zur and her colleagues have created a number of devices that are connected to the Philips health suite digital platform, a secure cloud --
Based on storage, record data from multiple sources and can send it to a tablet or smartphone.
The range of devices includes blood pressure monitors, smart scales, and Philips Health watches that measure heart rate and general activity levels.
These devices use Bluetooth to connect to the HealthSuite Digital platform where data is stored in a manner that meets the highest privacy and security standards.
But it's interesting here.
Ben says it's not enough to store all this data in the same place.
Zur-in order for you to understand the numbers, you also have to have the right people analyze it.
That's why you have the option to share your information with medical experts who will help you make beneficial behavioral changes using this information.
Philips has doctors, cardiologists, "it's not enough to just store all this data together, you have to have the right people to help you understand this data ", nutritionists and others are working in the background to ensure that the data collected by healthcare professionals and individuals use their devices meaningfully.
Even a reminder from its app will motivate users to go further or eat better, Ben said. Zur.
"We have behavioral scientists coming in and telling us, 'When you tend to say something in this way, it's better than you say that '.
This is where magic really happens.
In fact, Philips has created a series of personal health programs that provide these advice to consumers who use the service.
These people will be able to measure their vital signs to understand how lifestyle choices affect their bodies, set goals for themselves and monitor their progress.
This method has proved its value clinically.
A team from Philips and Arizona Banner Health looked into whether the technology could help people who have recently been discharged from hospital avoid being re-admitted.
The researchers provided a variety of clouds for those with multiple chronic diseases with the highest risk of re-admission
Connected sensors such as heart rate monitors, GPS devices, and sensors that detect falls.
They then monitor the health of users from a distance.
"These data allow them to proactively identify when a person may have health problems and get in touch with them," Ben said . "Zur.
This led to a 45 reduction in re-admission.
It is also good to track health outside the clinical setting.
Philips Health Report pictures found a positive correlation between people who track health and people who generally feel healthy --being.
Among them, people who use connected devices such as smartphones or other wearable devices to monitor their health are using these devices to explore a healthier lifestyle.
These devices help them improve their exercise levels, control their weight, and reduce their sugar intake.
Most of these people say this kind of tracking gives them the ability to control their health.
This is just the beginning.
With the rapid growth of the wearable device market, more and more people will be exposed to this new way of tracking our health.
"The problem is that there are thousands of cool wearable devices that can capture very interesting data, but they all live in different silos in the cloud," says Ben. Zur.
Philips devices are different-they are connected to an online environment in which data can be combined to create a broader and more comprehensive personal health condition.
By giving health care professionals access to this data, people can have more meaningful conversations about their health and what they can dobeing.
For doctors like Vautrey, this can only lead to better patient relationships and better outcomes.
The story is part of a series exploring innovative ways to improve health.
Visit: New Scientist.
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Picture: Monaco/taxi/Simon Kreitem visit UK/Getty)