Managing Anxiety in remote patients and student: The Promise of Continuous Patient Monitoring

By Alexander M. Gleason, PhD, RN

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed the way we live and work, and it has resulted in widespread anxiety and stress among the workforce and student populations. Remote monitoring of the anxiety of employees and students using medical telematics such as Apple HealthKit, Ultrahuman, and BiointelliSense has emerged as a promising solution to help individuals manage their anxiety levels.

Medical telematics involves the use of technology to monitor health parameters and transmit this information remotely to healthcare providers. Apple HealthKit is a platform that allows individuals to track their health data, including their heart rate, blood pressure, and sleep patterns. Ultrahuman is a mobile app that provides meditation, fitness, and sleep tracking, as well as personalized coaching to help individuals achieve their wellness goals. BiointelliSense is a wearable sensor that can monitor vital signs such as heart rate, respiratory rate, and temperature.

These technologies can be used to remotely monitor the anxiety levels of employees and students, providing real-time feedback on their physiological responses to stress. This data can be used to identify patterns and triggers that cause anxiety and develop targeted interventions to manage these symptoms. For example, an employee may be experiencing high levels of anxiety during certain times of the day, such as when they are in meetings or when they receive emails from their supervisor. By identifying these triggers, employers can work with their employees to develop coping strategies, such as taking breaks during the day, practicing mindfulness, or seeking support from a mental health professional (Gleason, 2021).

Remote monitoring of anxiety can also be used to detect early warning signs of mental health issues such as depression and anxiety disorders (Gleason AM, 2022). By tracking changes in an individual's heart rate, sleep patterns, and other physiological responses over time, healthcare providers can identify when an individual may be at risk for developing a mental health issue. This allows for early intervention and treatment, which can improve outcomes and reduce the burden of mental illness on individuals and society as a whole. With telematics, one Associate Dean of Students can identify those at high risk of suicide (Davidson et al, 2021).

There are, however, some challenges to remote monitoring of anxiety using medical telematics. One of the biggest challenges is privacy and security concerns. Individuals may be hesitant to share their personal health data with their employers or healthcare providers, especially if they are concerned about how this information will be used or shared (Gleason AM, 2022; Osadchiy et al., 2020). Employers and healthcare providers need to be transparent about how this data will be collected, used, and protected, and ensure that individuals have control over their own data.

Another challenge is the need for accurate and reliable data. Medical telematics technologies are still evolving, and there may be issues with the accuracy and reliability of the data they collect. This can lead to false alarms or missed opportunities for intervention. It is important to continue to refine these technologies and validate their accuracy and reliability in real-world settings.

In conclusion, remote monitoring of anxiety using medical telematics such as Apple HealthKit, Ultrahuman, and BiointelliSense has the potential to improve the mental health and wellbeing of nurses and students (Davidson et al, 2021). These technologies can provide real-time feedback on physiological responses to stress, identify patterns and triggers that cause anxiety, and detect early warning signs of mental health issues. However, there are challenges to overcome, including privacy and security concerns, and the need for accurate and reliable data. As these technologies continue to evolve, it is important to ensure that they are used ethically, transparently, and in a manner that prioritizes the wellbeing of individuals.

Article Details
Remote Monitoring of a Work-From-Home Employee to Identify Stress: A Case Report
Alexander M. Gleason, PhD, RN
First published online April 21, 2021
DOI: 10.1177/2165079921997322
Workplace Health & Safety

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