09/07/2025
Imagine if pilots only looked at their instruments once every three months.
That's healthcare today. We collect HbA1c every 3 months, FIT tests annually, and wonder why we're always reactive instead of proactive.
The Uncomfortable Truth
Healthcare systems are already implementing real-time monitoring everywhere:
CGMs generating thousands of glucose readings
Wearables tracking heart rate variability 24/7
Remote patient monitoring flooding EMRs with data
But here's the problem: We're collecting the data, not using it.
Why Real-Time Data Sits Unused
The technology works. The evidence is clear. But we're failing at the human element:
15-minute appointments can't accommodate real-time data discussions
Clinicians lack time to interpret continuous streams of information
Patients receive data without context or actionable guidance
Systems measure implementation, not meaningful utilization
CGM has demonstrated clinical value in reducing glycemic variability and improving quality of life, but only when properly integrated into care conversations.
The Real Question
It's not whether these technologies exist—they're already in our clinics.
It's whether we're ready to fundamentally change how we practice medicine.
This means:
Extending beyond 15-minute reactive visits
Training clinicians to interpret continuous data streams
Creating workflows that turn real-time insights into immediate interventions
Engaging patients as active partners, not passive data generators
A Call for Honest Assessment
Fellow clinicians: Are we truly making the switch, or just pretending to use these tools?
The difference between reactive and proactive healthcare isn't the technology—it's whether we're willing to change our practice patterns to match the data we're already collecting.
Real-time monitoring only transforms care when it transforms conversations.
How are you turning continuous data into continuous care? What's stopping you from making this shift?
