A small pilot study at a Family Medicine clinic is asking some big questions and offering interesting insights into how wearable fitness trackers, combined with doctor involvement, might change preventive care.

This 12-week study, approved by the Northwestern University Institutional Review Board, aimed to see how well Fitbit Charge HR data could be integrated into electronic health records (EHR). The goal was for primary care doctors to use this data to give patients weekly feedback, encouraging ongoing physical activity.

The study is timely given the health challenges we face. With about 70% of American adults being overweight or obese, the risk of heart disease, diabetes, and stroke is increasing. The CDC, along with the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology, stresses regular exercise as key to prevention and treatment. But the question remains: how can health systems encourage consistent exercise outside clinics?

Key Takeaways

A pilot study at a Family Medicine clinic examines how integrating Fitbit data into electronic health records can provide patients with weekly feedback from physicians, aiming to improve physical activity and mental wellness.

  • The intervention group, which received weekly feedback from physicians, adhered more closely to exercise guidelines and reported higher motivation along with lower stress levels compared to the control group.
  • The study highlights the potential of wearable technology in primary care when paired with physician involvement, suggesting that personalized feedback can significantly influence patient behavior.
  • Although the study did not demonstrate statistically significant improvements in health outcomes, it showed that integrating wearable data into routine care is feasible and acceptable to patients, indicating a promising path for future research.

The study design: feedback in focus

Twenty-six adults were chosen from a Family Medicine clinic and split into two groups: control and intervention. Everyone got a Fitbit Charge HR, a wrist device that tracks heart rate and exercise. But, only the intervention group got weekly feedback from doctors via secure messages on the EHR portal.

To join the study, participants had to be 18 or older, visit the clinic regularly, and own a smartphone or computer. Both groups were informed about the CDC’s exercise goals—150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly and maintaining a heart rate between 50–70% of maximum—plus they received informational materials.

It wasn’t meant to test long-term results or make broad health claims. It focused on the practicality, how engaged people were, and short-term behavior changes using tools like the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Medical Outcomes Survey (MOS), and the Exercise Motivations Inventory (EMI).

Notable results, nuanced conclusions

While the study didn’t show significant health changes between the groups, it highlights how behavior can change with involvement from a physician in digital health.

The intervention group, which got weekly feedback on meeting CDC exercise goals, stuck to the exercise plan much better than the control group. Only one person in the control group met the guidelines for 12 weeks, while almost everyone in the intervention group did.

The motivation to exercise was also higher in the intervention group. They started with a motivation score of 5.5 out of 8, which went up to 6 by the end of the study. The control group started higher at 6.75 but dropped to 6.

Stress and energy showed similar trends. Intervention participants reported feeling less stress (5.1 compared to 7.2 in the control group) and a bit more energy (6 compared to 5.1) after 12 weeks.

While the changes observed in the study did not reach statistical significance, they still offer a glimpse into the potential of integrating wearable technology into routine care. According to the lead investigator, even modest, structured feedback from a physician can play a meaningful role in shaping patient behavior and improving mental wellbeing.

The study suggests that when patients receive consistent input based on their own activity data, they may become more engaged in managing their health. This interaction, though simple, highlights how physician involvement can add value to consumer tech by turning raw data into motivation for healthier habits.

Feasibility and time efficiency

The integration of Fitbit data into the EHR system was simple. Data uploads happened automatically, and doctors accessed it using a secure online portal. Doctors spent about five minutes each week checking a participant’s activity and sending a standard message, much less time than an in-person visit, which usually takes 15 to 30 minutes.

Patients were open to joining the study, but there were some challenges: five participants from the intervention group and nine from the control group dropped out. One person stopped using the Fitbit because of mild skin irritation—the only reported side effect.

Still, those who stayed in the study showed great interest in this care model. Using wearable data in primary care visits was not just easy to do—it was also well-received by patients who wanted more personalized and data-driven advice.

Broader implications for primary care

This case study highlights a growing and transformative trend in modern healthcare: the intersection of consumer technology and everyday medical practice. While wearable fitness trackers have surged in popularity among health-conscious consumers over the past decade, the clinical applications of these devices—particularly within the setting of routine primary care—are only beginning to be seriously explored and understood.

The potential to use real-time, patient-generated data to support preventive care and lifestyle interventions represents a significant shift in how physicians might approach long-term health management.

The study’s findings underscore several critical insights. First, while wearable devices like Fitbits are capable of producing vast amounts of activity and heart rate data, the information alone is not enough to drive meaningful change. What appears to make a substantial difference is the integration of that data into a supportive clinical relationship—specifically, through personalized feedback from physicians.

This interaction seems to increase accountability and reinforce behavior change. Second, the study suggests that patients are not only open to sharing their health data but are also more likely to stay motivated when they know their physician is actively reviewing and responding to their progress.

Despite these encouraging signs, the researchers emphasize that the results should be interpreted with caution. “While this approach shows early promise in improving physical activity levels and reducing stress, it’s important to recognize the limitations of this pilot study,” one of the participating physicians noted. “Larger studies, conducted over longer periods of time, will be essential to determine whether these short-term improvements actually translate into measurable clinical outcomes and long-term health benefits.”

Looking ahead

Wearable technology isn’t a complete solution for the country’s inactivity problem, but this study shows it could be a useful tool in a doctor’s kit for preventing health issues. This is especially true when combined with regular communication through familiar systems like the Electronic Health Record (EHR).

As healthcare providers look for ways to encourage healthy habits outside of the clinic, using data from patients in their care plans might not just be an innovation—it could become essential.

It’s still uncertain if this approach will be widely adopted. However, with a small investment of time, positive patient feedback, and early signs of changes in behavior, the future of connected healthcare might be nearer than we think.