Integrating Technology in Healthcare: Chris Monk’s Atrial Fibrillation Diagnosis Inspires Advocacy for Smartwatch Use in Healthcare

In 2019, Chris Monk, a resident of Berkshire, was alerted to an issue with his heart during a routine run when his sports watch showed that his heart rate was not slowing down as it should have. This led to his hospital admission and the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation. His experience inspired him to advocate for the integration of technology in healthcare to improve outcomes for more individuals.

Nicola Monk, who works in the NHS and is married to Chris, recognized the value of smartwatches in diagnosing her husband’s condition. She emphasized that without the data from the device, his diagnosis may have been overlooked. The British Heart Foundation’s Data Science Centre is conducting important research on how sports watches can be utilized to monitor health and securely link device data with a person’s NHS records with their consent. This integration has the potential to lead to new discoveries in cardiovascular research and enhance disease prediction, diagnosis, and treatment.