STAT+: Wearables, and the flood of data they generate, inch closer to entering the clinic

STAT PlusHealth tech Wearables, and the flood of data they generate, inch closer to entering the clinic Oura, Whoop to connect users to clinicians virtually for possible diagnosis and treatment Manage alerts for this article Email this article Share this article By Mario AguilarJune 9, 2026 Health Tech Correspondent Mario Aguilar[email protected]Mario covers technology in health care, including FDA regulation of artificial intelligence; how Medicare pays for health tech; the use of AI in clinical care; mental health chatbots; and consumer wearables. He’s also the co-author of the free, twice weekly STAT Health Tech newsletter. You can reach Mario on Signal at mariojoze.13. A major selling point for wearable devices is the promise that they’ll help identify hidden health conditions before they lead to major harm. But a nagging issue has been the connection to clinician guidance when a smartwatch or ring raises the alarm. To help address this issue, wearable makers Oura and Whoop recently announced they’ll make it possible for users to connect virtually with doctors directly from their apps. While the move could represent the first step in the long-awaited adoption of consumer health data by traditional clinical care, experts cautioned that the bar for data in clinical decision-making is higher than for simple wellness purposes. The Food and Drug Administration has only authorized a handful of wearable features for clinical use, and the evidence base for using wearable data to inform medical care is nascent. Widespread use by clinicians will take considerably more work.Advertisement “This was an inevitable development,” said Ida Sim, a physician and professor at the University of California, San Francisco, who studies how to make best use of consumer health data. “We’ve got these sensors that have ostensibly valuable data … but we haven’t even begun to tap into the real clinical value.” STAT+ Exclusive Story Already have an account? Log in This article is exclusive to STAT+ subscribers Unlock this article — and get additional analysis of the technologies disrupting health care — by subscribing to STAT+. Already have an account? Log in Monthly $39 Totals $468 per year $39/month Get Started Totals $468 per year Starter $30 for 3 months, then $399/year $30 for 3 months Get Started Then $399/year Annual $399 Save 15% $399/year Get Started Save 15% 11+ Users Custom Savings start at 25%! Request A Quote Request A Quote Savings start at 25%! 2-10 Users $300 Annually per user $300/year Get Started $300 Annually per user View All Plans To read the rest of this story subscribe to STAT+. Subscribe Log In FDA, health tech, Physicians, STAT+, wearables Submit a correction requestReprints Mario Aguilar Health Tech Correspondent Mario covers technology in health care, including FDA regulation of artificial intelligence; how Medicare pays for health tech; the use of AI in clinical care; mental health chatbots; and consumer wearables. He’s also the co-author of the free, twice weekly STAT Health Tech newsletter. You can reach Mario on Signal at mariojoze.13. Newsletter Tech is transforming health care and life sciences. Our original reporting is here to keep you ahead of the curve. Recommended Politics June 9, 2026 A leader of the 2014 U.S. Ebola response compares then to now Politics June 9, 2026 STAT Plus: Trump’s health care affordability czar touts Medicaid cuts to hospital leaders Advertisement First Opinion June 9, 2026 Why STAT is sticking with ‘health care’ as two words First Opinion June 9, 2026 Ending animal testing could set back xenotransplantation just as the field is poised for a breakthrough Pharma June 9, 2026 STAT Plus: GSK to buy Nuvalent, maker of targeted cancer drugs, for $10.6B Subscriber Picks