Data Connect is proud to partner with the South Yorkshire Digital Health Hub (SYDHH) on Smart-Health - an ambitious project bridging the gap between everyday wearable technology and NHS records. This month we were invited to attend the SYDHH plenary event at the Advanced Wellbeing Research Centre (AWRC) in Sheffield.
While over half of UK adults use wearable devices that capture activity, heart rate, sleep, respiratory and location data - such as fitness trackers and smartphone health apps - the potential health research benefits remain largely untapped. By collecting, linking and securely storing data from wearables, questionnaires and patient records, Smart-Health will help researchers discover how everyday technology can improve healthcare for everyone.
Smart-Health is a way for citizens and researchers to work together...to understand how data from smartphones and wearables can be used to improve health and healthcare.
Professor Tim Chico
Director, SYDHH
Before any Smart Health data is used for research, it undergoes pseudonymisation and de-identification within the secure environment. The data is then stored in the University of Sheffield’s Secure Data Service (SDS) secure data environment. Access is strictly controlled, and only approved researchers with the necessary governance approvals are permitted to access the data for research purposes. Find out more about we protect your data.
What's next?
The Smart-Health app is currently in beta testing, and our next milestone is to recruit 10,000 volunteers across South Yorkshire. If you are interested in getting involved you can find out more on the Smart-Health website.
SYDHH Annual Plenary Event
Data Connect joins SYDHH to showcase Smart-Health at annual plenary event
