Streamlining wearable data integration for EHDS: a case study on advancing healthcare interoperability using Garmin devices and FHIR

Somayeh Abedian, Eugene Yesakov, Stanislav Ostrovskiy, Rada Hussein

Organization

Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Digital Health and Prevention, Salzburg, Austria.

Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.

Edenlab, Innovative Digital Health Solutions, Tallinn, Estonia.

Team

Somayeh Abedian

Eugene Yesakov

Stanislav Ostrovskiy

Rada Hussein

Project Description & Objectives

Develop a prototype that can demonstrate that data from Garmin devices could be securely collected, mapped, and transferred into a FHIR environment. Analysis of PGHD from the MORE platform to confirm that heterogeneous data types, including physiological measures and survey responses, can be represented with appropriate FHIR resources. Assess technical feasibility and scalability of PGHD integration.

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Data Collection Process

The study used the Garmin Vívoactive 4 smartwatch to collect PGHD and integrate it into a FHIR server via the Fitrockr Hub and API. The Kodjin FHIR server was deployed to enable standardized data storage and transfer. In parallel, data from the Modular Open Research Platform (MORE) were examined for compatibility with FHIR resources. The process included device enrolment, data collection, mapping to FHIR specifications, and evaluation of compliance with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) requirements.

Fitrockr Utilization

Fitrockr served as the central platform for data acquisition, where it securely gathered and organized the data from the Garmin devices. The platform enhanced data integration by supporting various wearable technologies and ensured secure data administration.

Wearable Used

Garmin Vívoactive 4

Number of Participants

Duration

16 months

Metrics Collected

BBI

HRV

Stress

Sleep

Steps

Heart Rate

Daily Activity Data

Fitrockr Sync Type

Single-Sync on participant smartphone.

Ready to rock your project?

Fitrockr is a leading health and fitness data analytics platform that empowers organizations to connect, manage and analyze data from wearables. Designed for research, clinical studies, healthcare, coaching and fitness gamification, Fitrockr enables seamless integration of biometric and activity data, providing deep insights through advanced analytics, dashboards, reports and raw data downloads. Automated alerting, push notifications, surveys and outcome assessments support data collection. With a focus on data privacy, security, and local hosting options, Fitrockr supports global institutions in transforming raw health data into actionable outcomes. Learn more at www.fitrockr.com.