Fitbit, which has played around the edges of healthcare for years, is going all in with new privacy and security protections in its Fitbit Wellness division that follow HIPAA guidelines.
The move, announced Wednesday ahead of the Fitbit Captivate road show hitting Chicago, will allow the San Francisco-based company to share data from its corporate wellness platform with care providers, health plans and self-insured employers.
“We think there will be opportunities in the future to more deeply integrate with healthcare organizations,” Amy McDonough, vice president and general manager of Fitbit Wellness, told MedCity News. The integration will make it easier to incorporate Fitbit wearable devices into employee wellness programs and population health endeavors, McDonough said.
With the Rise of AI, What IP Disputes in Healthcare Are Likely to Emerge?
Munck Wilson Mandala Partner Greg Howison shared his perspective on some of the legal ramifications around AI, IP, connected devices and the data they generate, in response to emailed questions.
Fitbit users will have to consent for their data to be used, and program managers will only get a subset of that data, such as steps taken, distance walked or minutes of activity. More personal information, including sleep patterns and heart rate will not be shared with employers, McDonough said.
Some companies may choose to receive aggregate Fitbit data from entire offices. For example, McDonough said, companies can collect aggregate data to allow different offices to compete against each other on the Fitbit Wellness platform. In all cases, individuals will have to opt in, she said.
“It really changes the culture of the organization into a culture of health,” McDonough said of cross-office challenges.
