INTEGRATING WEARABLE HEALTH TECHNOLOGIES FOR REAL-TIME PATIENT MONITORING: TRENDS AND ETHICS

Abstract

Wearable health technologies (WHTs) have transformed traditional healthcare systems by enabling continuous, real-time monitoring of patients' physiological parameters. These devices range from smartwatches and biosensors to smart textiles and implantables, offering significant advantages in chronic disease management, elderly care, post-surgical recovery, and fitness tracking. This paper explores the emerging trends in wearable health technology integration in Pakistan and globally, evaluating the effectiveness of these systems for real-time patient monitoring. Ethical issues such as data privacy, informed consent, device accuracy, and regulatory challenges are critically discussed. Through a multidisciplinary lens, we also analyze how wearable technologies can bridge gaps in Pakistan’s fragmented healthcare system. The study uses published data, clinical trials, and survey results to support its findings and offers a roadmap for future development and policy.