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Wearables Double Patients' Likelihood to Follow Doctors' Orders

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  Published in Health and Fitness on Tuesday, December 9th 2025 at 16:11 GMT by Patch

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Wearables Boost Patients’ Adherence to Doctor’s Orders, Mount Sinai Poll Reveals

A new survey conducted by New York City’s Mount Sinai Hospital suggests that consumer health devices—smartwatches, fitness trackers, and other “wearables”—are not just a fad; they may actually improve the way patients follow medical advice. According to the poll, released last week in the Patch New York‑Rockville Centre section, individuals who regularly use a wearable device are more than twice as likely to heed their physicians’ instructions compared with those who do not. The study, which surveyed more than 1,200 adults across the greater New York area, underscores the growing role of digital health technology in everyday care and raises questions about how insurers, providers, and patients might leverage wearables to achieve better health outcomes.

How the Poll Was Designed

Mount Sinai’s data‑analytics team partnered with a third‑party research firm to conduct an online survey that ran from June 1 to June 15. Respondents were recruited via a national panel and were required to be at least 18 years old, have had at least one doctor’s visit in the past year, and have a smartphone or other device capable of syncing to a wearable platform. The final sample included 1,239 participants, roughly evenly split between men (48 %) and women (52 %). The majority of respondents were aged 35‑54 years (38 %), followed by 55‑74 years (26 %) and 18‑34 years (20 %). Forty‑two percent of participants reported having a chronic condition such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, or heart disease; the rest were healthy or had acute conditions.

Respondents were asked whether they wear a device such as an Apple Watch, Fitbit, Garmin, or Samsung Gear. Those who answered “yes” were further queried about their motivations (e.g., “track steps,” “monitor heart‑rate,” “receive reminders”), the frequency of use, and whether the device prompted them to adopt healthier behaviors. All participants were then asked how likely they felt they were to follow their doctor’s instructions, such as taking medication, following a diet plan, or attending scheduled appointments.

Key Findings

• Adherence is Higher Among Wearable Users
  While 68 % of all respondents said they were “likely” or “very likely” to follow doctors’ instructions, the figure jumped to 84 % among those who used a wearable. In other words, wearable users were 1.5 times more likely to say they would follow medical advice.

• Age Matters
  The difference in adherence was most pronounced among younger adults (18‑34 years). Only 56 % of non‑wearable users in this age group reported high adherence, compared with 77 % of wearable users. For older adults (55‑74 years), the gap narrowed but still existed (76 % vs. 87 %).

• Chronic Conditions Amplify the Effect
  Participants with chronic conditions reported a greater boost in adherence when using wearables: 89 % of diabetic patients who owned a device said they would follow doctors’ orders, compared with 70 % of non‑wearable diabetic respondents. Similar trends emerged for hypertension and heart‑related conditions.

• Device‑Specific Insights
  Apple Watch owners reported the highest adherence (87 %), followed by Fitbit (83 %) and Garmin (81 %). Samsung Gear users fell slightly lower at 76 %, but still above the 68 % average for non‑wearable users.

• Motivation for Use
  Over half of wearable owners cited “receiving reminders” (54 %) as a key motivator, followed by “tracking progress” (48 %) and “connecting with a health coach” (22 %). Those who were motivated primarily by data tracking were most likely to say they would keep medication schedules and follow dietary guidelines.

What the Findings Mean for Patients and Providers

“The data reinforce what clinicians have long suspected—that real‑time feedback and tangible metrics can help patients stay on track,” said Dr. Lydia Chen, Mount Sinai’s chief medical informatics officer. “Wearables can be seen as a virtual health coach that nudges patients toward better habits.”

For patients, the poll suggests that owning a wearable device may serve as a constant reminder to stick to a medication regimen or to make the most of a prescribed exercise routine. In practice, the built‑in notifications and the ability to see progress on a daily basis can shift adherence from an abstract concept to a concrete, measurable goal.

For clinicians, the results could inform how they recommend technology to patients. “If a patient is struggling to take a medication, prescribing a wearable with reminder capabilities can be a low‑cost, high‑impact intervention,” Chen explained. She added that providers should be mindful of which devices best align with each patient’s lifestyle; for example, a busy parent might prefer a simple step counter, while a cardiologist might want to integrate a heart‑rate monitor.

Implications for Health Policy and Insurance Coverage

The rise in digital health tools has led to a wave of insurer pilot programs that cover the cost of wearable devices. The study’s findings could be used by payers to justify broader coverage, arguing that improved adherence reduces the likelihood of costly complications and hospital readmissions. Indeed, a brief excerpt linked in the original article (Mount Sinai Health Analytics) discusses a joint venture between the hospital and a regional insurer that offers a $50 reimbursement for wearable purchase, which has already led to a 12 % drop in emergency visits among participating patients.

The article also points readers to a New York Times piece on “Digital Health and the Future of Medicare,” which notes that Medicare is currently evaluating policies to support “patient‑centered digital solutions” that could include wearables. The Mount Sinai poll adds to the growing evidence that such devices do more than just collect data—they can influence behavior.

Limitations and Questions That Remain

While the poll’s findings are compelling, the researchers cautioned that the data are self‑reported and therefore subject to recall bias. The study also did not establish a causal link between wearables and adherence; it simply identified a strong association. Future research—ideally a randomized controlled trial—would be needed to confirm that providing a wearable directly leads to better outcomes.

Another caveat is the sample’s geographic focus. Although the respondents were spread across the New York region, the study did not examine rural or low‑income populations where device ownership rates may be lower. The article links to a separate Pew Research Center report indicating that wearable adoption varies significantly by income level, raising concerns about the digital divide in health technology.

Looking Ahead

Mount Sinai’s poll is part of a broader trend in which hospitals are harnessing technology to close the gap between clinical advice and patient action. As wearable ecosystems expand to include smart scales, glucose monitors, and even smart inhalers, the potential to embed continuous monitoring into everyday life grows. For now, the data suggest that a simple wrist‑worn device can make a meaningful difference in how patients live out their doctors’ recommendations.

As the Patch article concludes, the next step for healthcare stakeholders will be to integrate these findings into practice—whether by offering wearables as part of a patient’s care plan, negotiating coverage with insurers, or designing interventions that combine technology with human support. If the poll’s results hold up under more rigorous scrutiny, it could be the first clear sign that the “smartwatch revolution” is not just a consumer trend but a tangible tool for improving health outcomes.