HealthManagement, Volume 24/25 - Issue 6, 2025

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Advancements in AI, smart devices and digital health tools have transformed healthcare, enhancing personalised management, early diagnostics and system efficiency. These innovations improve fitness monitoring, mental health support and urban health systems with smart gym equipment, fitness apps, AI-powered trainers and telehealth platforms. Smart city concepts use AI and sensors to monitor and enhance urban well-being. This integrated approach promotes efficient, accessible and inclusive healthcare.

 

Key Points

  • AI and smart devices enhance personalised healthcare and diagnostic accuracy.
  • Smart gym equipment and apps enable real-time fitness tracking and chronic disease management.
  • AI-powered trainers provide customised workouts and support rehabilitation and injury prevention.
  • Digital tools like telehealth and AI chatbots improve mental health support, especially for the elderly.
  • Smart city technologies optimise public health through real-time monitoring and urban planning.

 

AI and Bias Mitigation in Healthcare

Artificial intelligence offers great potential for the healthcare industry, but concerns regarding AI biases have been a critical issue (Lee et al. 2022). These algorithm biases can significantly affect patient outcomes, as decisions made by AI directly impact healthcare. Fortunately, recent advancements have introduced methods to mitigate these biases. Techniques such as algorithmic audits, diverse training datasets and human oversight help ensure that AI-driven diagnostics and treatment recommendations are fair, accurate and inclusive.

 

Artificial intelligence can detect subtle patterns in medical data, improving diagnostic accuracy and enabling personalised treatment plans. Algorithms designed to minimise biases are especially valuable in identifying patterns among diverse patient populations, promoting healthcare equity. This capability is essential in fields such as cardiovascular care, diabetes management and early cancer detection (Obermeyer 2019).

 

Transforming Fitness and Healthcare through AI-Powered Technology and Personalisation

Advancements in fitness technology, particularly with the integration of smart home gym equipment and wearable devices, have transformed the way users engage with their health. These AI-powered tools allow real-time monitoring and tracking of various health metrics, such as physical activity and heart rate variability. This innovation opens new avenues for health management professionals, enabling more personalised healthcare and informed patient support. In the context of chronic disease management, these tools are invaluable, allowing ongoing health monitoring at home, which can reduce hospital readmissions and improve patient outcomes (Khowaja 2023).

 

Alongside smart equipment, fitness-tracking apps have gained popularity for their ability to help users set, track and achieve health-related goals. Equipped with advanced data analytics and user-friendly interfaces, these apps are essential for those managing fitness, chronic conditions or overall well-being. Healthcare professionals increasingly recommend these apps as part of comprehensive health management plans, providing patients with accessible and engaging ways to monitor key metrics like calorie consumption, sleep patterns and workout intensity. As these apps integrate with broader health systems, they play a growing role in preventive health management and enhance patient engagement.

 

AI-powered personal trainers further revolutionise the fitness landscape by offering customised workout programs based on real-time data analysis (Chui 2020). These trainers adapt exercise routines to users' fitness levels and health statuses, assisting with rehabilitation programs, injury prevention and overall physical well-being. Additionally, AI-driven fitness platforms reduce barriers to exercise by enabling users to engage in workouts from their homes, making fitness more accessible. Health management professionals can incorporate AI personal trainers into rehabilitation or fitness plans, ensuring continuity of care outside the clinical setting and promoting long-term health improvements (Chen 2017).

 

Technology’s Role in Mental Health Management

As mental health becomes a growing global concern, technology is playing an essential role in addressing these issues, especially among older adults. AI-powered chatbots, wearable devices and telehealth platforms are increasingly being utilised to provide mental health support. For example, wearable sensors can monitor stress levels and sleep patterns, alerting users and healthcare providers when intervention may be needed.

 

AI-driven mental health tools allow for personalised care by analysing behavioural and emotional data. This enables mental health professionals to intervene earlier, preventing more serious conditions from developing. The ability to offer remote mental health care is particularly valuable for elderly patients who may have limited access to traditional in-person services (World Health Organisation 2021).

 

Smart Cities and Public Health Management

The concept of smart cities includes a variety of health-related applications designed to enhance urban health management (Smart Cities Council 2022). By leveraging advanced technologies, urban planners can develop more efficient healthcare systems and create healthier living environments. Tools such as AI-driven platforms, smart sensors and comprehensive data analytics systems are central to these efforts. These technologies allow for real-time monitoring of environmental and health-related factors, such as air quality, traffic emissions and water safety, which are critical to safeguarding public health. By integrating these smart solutions into city planning, urban populations experience a significant improvement in their overall well-being, with efficient healthcare services, quicker emergency responses and healthier living conditions. This holistic approach to urban planning not only boosts public health outcomes but also sets the foundation for sustainable and resilient cities.

 

The integration of advanced technologies such as AI, smart devices and digital health applications has profoundly transformed healthcare. These innovations have enhanced personal health management, improved diagnostic accuracy and expanded preventive measures, making healthcare more effective and accessible. From managing fitness and chronic disease to providing mental health support and planning for urban health, these tools offer healthcare professionals new ways to deliver tailored and timely care.

 

Embracing these advancements not only empowers patients to take a proactive role in their health but also paves the way for more equitable, efficient and inclusive healthcare systems. With the development of these technologies, the healthcare industry must commit to integrating them thoughtfully to optimise patient outcomes and promote healthier communities.

 

Conflict of Interest

None


References:

Chen J, Asch SM (2017) Machine learning and prediction in medicine—beyond the peak of inflated expectations. New England Journal of Medicine, 376(26):2507-2509.

Chui M, Manyika J, Miremadi M (2020) AI adoption advances, but foundational barriers remain. McKinsey Global Institute. [Accessed on 30 October 2024] Available from: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/mckinsey-digital/our-insights/the-state-of-ai-in-2020

Khowaja K, Patel JH, Maqbool R (2023) AI-powered fitness training: Revolutionizing personal health management. Journal of Health Informatics, 18(3):155-165.

Lee M, Zhu, X (2022) AI in healthcare: Bias mitigation and ethical considerations. Journal of AI Ethics, 4(2):34-47.

Obermeyer Z, Powers B, Vogeli C et al. (2019) Dissecting racial bias in an algorithm used to manage the health of populations. Science, 366(6464):447-453.

Smart Cities Council (2022) How smart cities improve public health. [Accessed on 30 October 2024] Available from: https://smartcitiescouncil.com/article/smart-cities-public-health

World Health Organisation (2021) Mental health and older adults. [Accessed on 30 October 2024] Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-of-older-adults